good morning. breaking news, a u.s. f-15 fighter jet has crashed in libya. we are told they are safe. we're live with the latest. significant step, the power lines have been connected to all six reactors at japan's nuclear plant. a major mile stone as crews race to try to stop the smoke, steam and radiation that is still escaping. and sorry, charlie. just two weeks after giving him the boot, cbs is reportedly in talks to bring charlie sheen back to "two and a half men." but after everything each side has said, can anyone really say

they're winning today tuesday, march 22nd, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a tuesday morning. it's 7:00 on the west coast. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry in for meredith. the fighter jet crashed overnight west of benghazi. >> we're being told the cause was likely mechanical. we'll get right to the story. jim miklaszewski has the story. jim, what can you tell us? >> reporter: good morning. those airmen were flying east of benghazi when their f-15 fighter jet experienced mechanical difficulty. despite the crew's attempts to save the aircraft, they were

forced to punch out and the f-15 fighter jet crashed into the desert. now, once the air with their chutes were deployed, the two airmen became widely separated. one of the airmen, when he landed, was in immediate contact with search and rescue helicopters. and he was quickly plucked from the ground and taken to safety. the other airman somehow fell into a group of armed rebels. and while he was in no danger apparently, he was asked to separate himself from those armed rebels because the helicopter crews quite frankly thought it was too dangerous to fly directly into a group of armed men. he, too, was eventually picked up and taken to safety. the second airman suffered minor injuries suffered when he punched out of that airplane at some high altitude. according to military officials, this pretty much went by the book, and it's how that search and rescue operation is supposed to happen. meanwhile, air strikes continued

overnight as u.s. and coalition air forces continue to take out moammar gadhafi's anti-aircraft missile defenses. matt? >> jim miklaszewski at the pentagon this morning, thank you very much. we're getting more on the story in libya from our chief foreign correspondent richard engel who is in tobruk, libya. >> reporter: good morning, matt. the people and rebels here in eastern libya are deeply appreciative of the u.s. military help. we have seen thumbs-up for france, thumbs-up for obama. but it's also clear that the rebels are now completely dependent on foreign military assistance. the evidence of u.s. and allied air assaults is now clear. air and missile strikes, including new ones overnight, have wiped out several of gadhafi's military units, destroyed command and control sites around tripoli and even targeted gadhafi's own compound, filled for days with hundreds of volunteer human shields.

the offensive has succeeded in protecting the people in the biggest cities in rebel-held eastern libya. rebels say these government armored vehicles and artillery were headed into benghazi when they were attacked by western air strikes. if this much firepower had reached the poorly defended city gadhafi would almost certainly have retaken benghazi. >> benghazi people, they would be destroyed completely. >> reporter: in libya, president obama stressed saving civilians in a counteroffensive last week was a primary goal. >> that a leader who has lost his legitimacy, decides to turn his military on his own people, we can't simply stand by with empty words. >> reporter: but if the unstated mission is also to help rebels launch a counterattack on gadhafi, that has yet to materialize. on a highway outside tobruk, we

saw rebels headed to the front line. they showed weapons seized from gadhafi's smashed army unit. "we've decided we will either die or live in dignity," he said. the rebels fired guns into the air. but as we watched, they barely knew how to load their weapons, and they don't know who their leaders are. minutes later the rebels drove off to face gadhafi's forces, dug in a few hundred miles away in ajdabyia. but this is what happened when they reached that city. many were wounded and at least seven killed. the rebels' strategy seems to be to let western military power carry them to tripoli. but there's already confusion and some tension over who will lead military operations as the u.s. tries to hand over control. once this air and military assistance is provided to the rebels they feel it is an essential part of the campaign. it's difficult to take it away.

>> richard engel in libya this morning. richard, as always, thank you very much. arizona republican senator john mccain is the ranking member on the armed services committee. senator mccain, always nice to see you. thanks for joining us. >> thank you, matt. >> the crash of the f-15 reminds us that this is a risky operation. in case anyone had any doubt. over the weekend you were critical of the president saying he waited too long to intervene in libya. you said, if we had taken this step a couple of weeks ago, a no-fly zone would have been enough. now a no-fly zone is not enough. there needs to be other efforts made. what are those efforts right now? >> well, i think to continue the no-fly zone effort and make it very clear to libyan pro-gadhafi troops that if they leave their barracks they are putting their lives at risk, just as the libyan pilots seem to have gotten the message since they are not flying. and also, we are going to have

to have -- facilitate arms equipment training of the rebels over time. a stalemate is a very bad outcome here. american policy is that gadhafi must go. >> you talk about a stalemate and obviously the u.s. wants to kind of step back here. the president said we would transition the lead in this to other nations in days, not weeks. from what you are seeing of the relative disorganization of the rebels, do you fear that they won't be able to get it together soon enough to allow us to get out of there? >> i think the president is saying he'll give the coalition partners the lead. that does not mean that the united states would stop its air operations and enforcement of a no-fly zone. i wish we would spend more time plachb planning on how to defeat gadhafi than planning on how to get out. the blood is on gadhafi's hands because we know he is

responsible for pan am 103. he should be removed from power with training and equipment, i believe that the anti-gadhafi forces can prevail. it was a very near thing in benghazi as was just reported by richard engel. morale is a very interesting thing. for a while the anti-government forces had the initiative and lost it due to gadhafi's capability and air power. now i think it can swing back again. i don't think the libyans owe anything to gadhafi. >> do we know enough about the rebels, senator? do we know who they are, who their leader is, what they believe, how they feel about the united states -- not just in the short term while we are helping them against gadhafi but in the long term? >> i think they know they were under the heel of one of the most brutal and oppressive dictators in the world. they know

if gadhafi prevailed in benghazi there would have been a separanitza multiplied by a factor of 100. the former justice minister is there is the leader of this government. the secretary of state met with them. the french recognize them. there's always risks involved here. but to have gadhafi remain in power and carry out the kind of brutality that he's already shown he's capable of i think is unacceptable. >> senator john mccain, nice to have you. thank you very much. >> thank you, matt. >> nine minutes after the hour. here's ann. matt, thank you. there are signs that the situation that damaged nuclear plant in japan could be stabilizing what. the power lines were hooked up to all reactor union his. we have robert bazell in tokyo again this morning with more on the story. bob, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. it's night, as you know, here in tokyo. we're not going to get pictures, yesterday was a pretty bad day

at the reactor site. they had one of the highest radiation readings they've had since the beginning of the accident. and they had some very high temperatures in one of the pools that is used to store the fuel readies. but as we heard today, the temperatures have come down in the pool. the radiation levels are way down. so they're starting to make some progress. but nobody is declaring victory yet. with smoke, steam and radiation still escaping from the reactors, all workers were back on the job today at the crippled fukushima site, picking up where they left off after some were evacuated monday. efforts to get electricity to run pumps at the reactors have run into snags, with much of the equipment damaged beyond repair. this sports arena near tokyo is now home to 2300 people from fukushima prefecture. some lost homes in the earthquake and tsunami. others are radiation refugees, force to flee the area near the reactors.

her husband works at the plant and is now part of the herculean effort to contain it. she told me she and her 5-year-old son were forced to flee. her husband can only call her. she can't contact him. and she is very worried. in the disaster zone, there is still much misery. thousands homeless still waiting for aid to arrive. and there is still worry over radiation and food. milk from fukushima and leafy vegetables from a large area of northern japan are now banned. now radiation has been detected in sea water near the plant. although officials say these levels pose no risk to humans, there is clear concern. this woman in tokyo asked if the rain will contaminate her. then there is the overwhelming task of cleanup and recovery as continue to search for loved ones still missing. 24-year-old taylor anderson of richmond, virginia, was an english teacher living in the miyagi prefecture. >> she loved teaching japanese

children. she was living her dream. >> reporter: when the earthquake hit, taylor helped get the children out of the school, waiting till their parents arrived. for days her parents waited for word from taylor. >> i wanted to touch her, feel her, listen to her, hear her voice. >> reporter: but taylor's call never came. her body was found monday. the first american among thousands of japanese known to have perished in the disaster. as the search for the missing labors on, another american family is still waiting to her from their loved one, 26-year-old monty dixon. he belonged to the same program as taylor, teaching english in awati, another area ravaged by the tsunami. his family in alaska is consumed by worry but focused on their mission. >> the grief is overwhelming. i've got to find my brother. >> reporter: we wish those people well. there's another american angle. that radiation plume coming over the united states. every official that i know of thinks that there is no harm from that.

but there's going to be radiation coming out of that reactor until it's completely shut down. and we have to point out that even though electricity is being supplied to every one of the reactors, they haven't turned anything on yet. there's no pumping of water going on. and the reason for that is so much material is damaged that you can't just turn on a switch. you might do more damage by putting electricity in. so there's electricity at the plant. the plug is there but nobody's plugging anything in yet. so this is going to go on for a long time. and unfortunately radiation will continue to leak into the environment until it's completely cooled off. there's no end of that in sight, ann. >> robert bazell in japan, thank you so much, bob. jane is a nuclear expert with the carnegie endowment for international peace. mr. acton, good morning. >> good morning, ann. >> the power now being connected to all six raeactors. how significant is this a development given that we've just heard from bob that they have not yet been able to turn the power on?

>> bob hit the nail on the head exactly. these reactors have taken an incredible pounding over the last ten days or so. and the key question is is the pumping equipment inside basically intact? you know, there's some evidence it's damaged because the pumps in reactor unit two, for instance, were working. and then they stopped working. so if the pumps themselves are damaged, then having the electricity supply may not make all that much of a difference. >> so where are we in terms of our proximity? japan's proximity to a ka str k catastrophic release of radiation, and where are we now? >> i think it's still less likely than it was -- much less likely than it was a week ago. you know, for the first week, every day i woke up, there was new really bad news with the reactors in japan. for the last four or five days, there's been pieces of bad news about the also some good news. the situation has clearly

stopped deteriorating. so we're not out of the woods yet. but i think we are further away from a major, major activity. >> when you say we're not out of the woods yet, what is your greatest concern in terms of moving this closer to the worst-case scenario? >> well, you know, you still have three reactors with very hot cores that aren't being cooled properly. because the pumping systems aren't working. so there's clear concern there. in addition to that, i think there's evidence that the almost swimming pool-like structures where the spent fuel is kept, one of them, particularly unit four, could be damaged. it might not be holding water. water might be leaking out of that. and so that's a concern. >> all right. james acton, thank you so much this morning for your getting us a sense about this because it certainly is a continuing concern. really appreciate your time. as bob was mentioning, they're rolling these cement trucks closer -- right, just in case, and that is kind of a last-ditch effort to kind of

sort of think about the possibility that the nuclear power plant's rod, the reactor rods, would have to be in tune to prevent more radiation release. >> we might be a few days away from knowing more about that. it's 7:15 pacific time. let's get the rest of the top stories from natalie. good morning. president obama heads to el salvador where he'll deal with the issue of rising crime. in chile monday with the wave of the revolution sweeping in the middle east in mind, the president called latin america a model for post-dictatorship democracy. yemen's u.s.-backed president warned today that the country could be plunged into civil war because of what he called a coup against him. several high-level military officials joined a wave of defection from the government following friday's killing of at least 40 protesters by security forces. about 100 homes have been evacuated and hundreds of others are on standby near denver as 40-mile-per-hour winds stoke a wildfire over the drought-ridden

area. the fire has already skomped some 850 acres near golden, colorado. japan's nikkei index is rebounding as fears of a nuclear crisis are subsiding. melissa francis is at cnbc's world headquarters. good morning, melissa. >> good morning. yeah, we're watching a calm market after the nikkei was up better than 4% overnight. the dow had a three-day winning streak. this was the first three-day winning streak in more than a month. pretty positive, although the real scene is disruptions in the global supply chain because of what's going on in japan, of course. we're watching sony say that another five factories will be closed or slowed down because of that tiffany saying that it plans on selling less jewelry in japan. oil is trading about $102 a barrel on the third night of air strikes in libya. a lot of tensions around the world. that's what the market is watching today, natalie. back to you. >> melissa francis, thank you. and former president george h.w. bush was honored last night in washington for his lifetime commitment to volunteerism and

leadership of the points of light institute. three other former presidents were also there to honor him. jimmy carter, bill clinton and, of course, his son, george w. bush along with the entire bush family and many from hollywood as well. well deserved honor. now 7:17 pacific time. let's turn it back over to matt, ann and al. >> good for him. >> congratulations to him. very nice. mr. roker, how's it looking on the west coast in. >> it's been wild and going to stay wild. yesterday they got for the first time in maxwell county this tornado. an ef-0 tornado, didn't really do any damage. and it was provided -- we know now where our executive producer, jim bell, is vacationing. that's really amazing stuff. they've never had one in this county before. that's just north of sacramento. the rest of the west coast, we're looking at billings, montana, with snow showers. 38 degrees. 62 in l.a. with partly sunny skies. 57 in san francisco and showers.

phoenix, 66. we've got another big storm moving on shore late tonight. and that will cause more big problems for the west coast. we'll have more details on that coming up in the next half hour. that's what's going yeah, that big storm he's eluding to is going to be in our neck of the woods as of this afternoon, but we'll get a dry break before that. we are already seeing the showers significantly thin out, except for over the south bay. showers right now mostly between san jose, campbell and los gatos. take it easy out there. we are on flood watch starting tonight lasting through thursday. a lot of rain expected to push into the bay area. also windy conditions as we head throughout the next 24 to 48 hours. flash flooding will be possible. you want to keep that in mind. for today, not too bad. our temperatures will end up in the 50s. id, is c actually negotiating charlie sheen's return to "two and a half men"? we'll have new details. but first this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, the alleged bully who was slammed to the ground by a fed-up teen speaks out for the first time. why he says the video doesn't tell the whole story. >> he was picking on a guy bigger than him. plus, a break from tradition. new details on how kate middleton will arrive at westminster abbey on her wedding day. first your local news and weather. belongs to the doers.time those of us who know grass doesn't turn green just because the calendar says to. and that a big difference can grow from a small budget. for those of us with grass on our sneakers... dirt on our jeans... and a lawn that's as healthy as our savings... the days are about to get a whole lot greener. ♪ more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. we're lowering the cost of a day in the dirt with a special buy on this mulch, three bags are just ten bucks.

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look for new hydra iq in a variety of scents. i wear what i love, because expression means everything. ♪ too hot to trot some say i'm one-of-a-kind. i say i'm so chico's. and good morning, everybody. the time is now 7:26. i'm brent cannon. hundreds of american families are back on u.s. soil this morning after fleeing japan. military families landed at travis air force base outside of vacaville a short time ago. christie smith is now live with what's ahead for these families. >> reporter: good morning to you. well, i can tell you that right now the families are inside and are going through customs and are finally having a chance to rest on the ground for just a minute. this was a long flight for them. 10 1/2 hours long was the plane

ride from japan. voluntary evacuations for these military families, 340 of them. most of them clutching babies or small children. a real sense of relief to be away from the quake zone and ongoing nuclear crisis. a second plane was going to land at 9:00 this morning but has been delayed until this afternoon. brent, back to you. thank you for the update, christie. meantime, we'll take a peek at the forecast this morning with christina. >> good morning to you. well, as timing will permit, we are going to see some sunshine today. a little bit of spotty activity coming onshore, but as you can see the clouds are thinning out and the activity is starting to deteriorate. just a little cell lingering over the south bay. los gatos is getting a little bit of rain. we are on flood watch starting tonight as the first system moves in. a stronger system on its heels for thursday, so the potential for flooding is there. we'll update you on that all morning long. we'll get you to work on time now with mike inouye. enjoy the break we have today because tomorrow will be an issue.

at highway 4 travel is at 10 miles per hour at l street and slow to loveridge. two lanes were blocked for 25 minutes. that is opposite the main commute, so no major issue there. the walnut creek interchange is showing a slowdown as well as the 27-minute drive down to the bay bridge toll plaza. that's the only major slowing through the maze. thank you, mike. more local news for you in a half hour. the "today" show returns if less than two minutes. have a great morning. see you back here in a bit.

7:30 on a tuesday morning. it's the 22nd of march, 2011. a little more like it this morning. sunshine out there, going up into the 50s. but brace yourself if you live here in the northeast tomorrow morning you should be waking up to snow. >> there was snow yesterday, a little bit anyway. >> welcome to spring. >> crazy. >> inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. just ahead, new perspective on an unfolding crisis in japan through an extraordinary look inside a u.s. nuclear power plant. for the first time ever our cameras were allowed in the

controlle ro room of a plant any visited the cooling pools where spent fuel rods are kept. >> also ahead, more details about the royal wedding. we now know how kate middleton will arrive at westminster abbey. she's decided to break from tradition. we'll take you on a tour of the area where the carriages are prepared for the post ceremony procession. >> when a friend or co-worker shares bad news, do you sometimes struggle to find the right words? what do you say to someone who lost a loved one, a job or is going through a divorce? we have advice for handling uncomfortable situations that can leave people tongue-tied. >> let's begin with charlie sheen. he may be welcomed back to "two and a half men," but there is a catch. nbc's jeff rossen joins us. he first broke the story and this morning is in florida with the latest. hey, jeff. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. hard to believe, isn't it? after everything that's

happened, after everything that's been said by both sides but cbs, according to the charlie sheen camp, has approached them saying, we want you back on "two and a half men." but there is a big catch you mentioned. first charlie sheen would have to settle his differences -- and they are big differences -- with the people who produce the show, chuck lorre and warner brothers. >> warner brothers, duh, winning. >> reporter: don't laugh. he may be right. charlie sheen has called his former bosses every name in the book. now sources say they are willing to move past it and take him back. on his web cast sheen said this answer les moonves. >> you gave me your word, so in turn you gave me nothing. it must really suck being your missus, the promise of getting something yet receiving nothing. >> reporter: in our interview here on "today" sheen said this. >> everybody thinks i should be begging for my job back. i'm just going to forewarn them that it's everybody else that

will be begging me for their job back. >> reporter: do you owe cbs an apology? >> no, they owe me a big one while licking my feet. >> reporter: cbs is ready to play ball, welcoming charlie home if he can settle his differences with warner brothers and perhaps more challenging his war with chuck lorre. >> hiya chuck, you cheeseball. where are you hiding, silly clown? you are no match for this warlock. my power will consume you every losing day, ugly whore. >> reporter: can you share a stage with him again. >> i'm open to it if he is. >> reporter: do you think he is? >> if he'd come out of hiding you could ask him. >> reporter: warner brothers said he's very ill. he said his termination is a conspiracy fuelled by lorre's ego, laziness and ill-will

toward mr. sheen. in hollywood the only thing that eclipses big ego is big money which insiders say is going on here. cbs could overlook the embarrassment -- >> liars and fools, all of them. >> reporter: to get their money-making star back on the air. >> there are a lot of hurdles that would have to be jumped for charlie sheen to return to "two and a half men." stranger things have happened in hollywood. there is a long history of people burying the hatchet when the deal is right. >> reporter: apparently moonves is willing to manage sheen himself, taking chuck lorre off the hook allowing him to work on his other sit comes or create another one. sheen told me over and over again he would. >> i signed for next year. being a man of my word i will be there with bells on. >> reporter: sheen has a lot going on now.

in less than two weeks he begins the one-man live tour, the stage show he sold out venues in detroit, chicago, new york city. last night he made a surprise appearance on jimmy kimmell. you can see he kissed jimmy right on the lips. ever the showman. the real question, will he return to "two and a half men"? discussions are ongoing. it is not a done deal yet? >> all right, jeff. thank you very much. we have linda kenny batten, a trial attorney and steve dubato, a media analyst and author of "what were they thinking." steve, first of all, this is from a well-placed source within charlie sheen's camp. do you buy it? >> no. >> why not? >> look, you look at jeff's piece and the words communicated by cbs are so clear, by time warner. look, anything can happen, particularly if you're looking for the money and you don't

think because you have tested other people to replace charlie sheen you say, hey, it may not work. but i have never seen a situation in the media, in show business where such horrific things were said about your employer so quickly. just a short time ago. out of control. what do you say? never mind. we didn't mean it. they better have tested a lot of people and they better be ready for a very negative public reaction to this. >> what doesn't change your mind is the argument that the numbers of the broadcast have gone up? >> they have gone up because he's a nut job. what i mean is it's a freak show. they are looking at charlie sheen in the past. they are looking at reruns of the show. i don't believe charlie sheen, as he presents himself today, as he looks today, as he is today is the same character and i don't believe it sells in the way it did before which made that money. he's a freak show now. that's not what i believe they are looking for on a weekly sit

com on a network. >> what about the lawyer? what do you have to say? >> he is hashtag winning. he will bat in the grand slam for moonves. charlie sheen become as robin hood for the cast, gets them the money, become it is rainmaker for les moonves. the ratings of the show would be bigger than "today," bigger than the super bowl. this is an amazing win for charlie sheen if this happens. >> i know you're talking a little bit outside of school because you're really a lawyer. are there legal reasons why cbs would consider this? >> sure. in my opinion they are going to owe him a lot of money either on the breach of contact or the discrimination issues. so it's cheaper to settle this. they can both be winners. cbs can be a winner. les moonves can look like a hero. charlie sheen is a winner, the cast is a winner.

the public wants him back on the show. >> steve is chomping at the bit. >> linda, the public wants a diversion from horrible things going on. the public wants a diversion from japan, libya. the horrible, real things going on. but they want a freak show. charlie sheen going on jimmy kimmel and kissing him, that's fine. but it's not the same as going to a weekly, family sit com. >> oh, no, no. >> listen. >> no, no. >> this guy -- one second, linda. he's a father who's advocated his responsibility as a father, an adult and the bottom line is get some help, charlie. you're sick. >> follow the money, steve. it's about the money. >> all about the hundred? >> it has nothing to do with the morality. it's money. >> i didn't say morality. there has to be decency on television. i'm not a prude but it shouldn't be all about money. >> you're thinking 20th century.

his twitter has 3 million people. he's more politically loved than most people in the united states. >> send a message to the kids that you have to apologize, take responsibility and some sense of accountability. >> linda and steve, we're going to find out what is the truth about network television, whether it's all about money or morality. that's still to come. thanks to you both. now a check of the weather from al roker. >> thanks, ann. we have warm weather to talk about in the southeast. we've got a big storm -- another big storm coming into california. winter storm watches and warnings in the sierra. northern california, flood watches for the central valleys. look at the rainfall amounts. one to three inches of rain causing more flooding and massive mountain snows. up to 24 inches or more in the central sierra. we are going to get a dry break before that next powerful

storm that al is talking about arrives, but it will start to bring showers into the north bay as early as this evening. and what you can see here is we still have a little bit of residual activity pushing ashore. it is very light, and wherever you head this morning you'll see sunshine. we'll get a pretty nice first half of the day with temperatures in the upper 50s. then the rain arrives. it looks like it will be pretty strong at times. heavy rain anticipated throughout the night. and another one on thursday. some folks here from the leukemia and lymphoma society. all ran the half marathon over the weekend. nicely done. very nicely done. all right. ann? >> all right, al. thanks. still ahead the alleged bully slammed to the ground by the boy he was tormenting speaks out. why he says he, too, was a victim. first these messages. we're back at 7:42.

japan many have raised concern about the 104 nuclear plants here in the u.s. tom costello is at the waterford iii nuclear power plant in louisiana with a rare look inside. tom, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. that's the reactor core behind me in the containment building. to demystify nuclear power and underscore how safe it is we were given extraordinary access to the control room, the cement casing around the nuclear core and to the massive pools that hold the radioactive spent fuel rod. the waterford 3 cranks out 10% of louisiana's power. getting inside requires passing through layers of security and massive watertight doors to keep the worst of the mississippi

out. hurricane and flood levels 30 feet above sea level. once inside, our first stop was the control room which monitors everything inside the reactor, the cooling pumps and the pool holding spent fuel rods. we're the first tv crew allowed in the control room. the concern is they don't want to distract operators behind the glass. they are under strict instructions to pay no attention to us. in the u.s. there are two types of reactors. boiling water reactors, the type used in japan, and pressurized water reactors like this one. pressurized water reactors, water is pumped to the core where it is heated. it flows then to a steam generator to turn the turbines and create electricity. pressurized steam is not radioactive while the steam from boiling reactors is.

in here sits the nuclear core. then up a long, narrow flight of stairs we were given unprecedented access to the massive pool that holds every spent nuclear fuel rod ever used at this plant -- 345,000 of them. this is it. 25 years of spent fuel rods are resting now in 360,000 gallons of water. the heat from the rods keeps the water at about 90 degrees, but up here, 23 feet of water between me and the rods, the risk of radiation exposure is near zero. keeping them submerged in water is critical. >> if we lost the water it would take about three days for the spent fuel pool to heat to boiling and 18 days before that would boil down to the point where we would be exposing the fuel. >> reporter: in japan the backup

systems were destroyed by the tsunami, but this plant insists it has multiple backup systems to keep the power and water flowing. during hurricane katrina it ran for five days on generators, stored in reinforced concrete bunkers, giving time for the electric grid to come back up. >> if done right there is little risk. we have to make sure it's done right. >> reporter: the walls of the plant are built to withstand much more than hurricane katrina. during katrina there was no flooding at all from the mississippi river. they will be moving the radioactive fuel rods in the containment pool to cement casks on property where they will stay for thousands of years. despite our trip through the plant, despite standing over the pool with the rods below me, we had zero on our dosometers

back to you. >> it's a fascinating look. we appreciate it. up next, a different tour. we'll tour the royal carriages and horses that will be front and cel tour the royal kancarri and horses that will be front and center during the royal wedding. that's right after this. impressive resume. thank you. you know what, tell me, what makes peter, peter ? well, i'm an avid catamaran sailor. i can my own homemade jam, apricot. and i really love my bank's raise your rate cd. i'm sorry, did you say you'd love a pay raise asap ? uh, actually, i said i love my bank's raise your rate cd. you spent 8 days lost at sea ? no, uh... you love watching your neighbors watch tv ? at ally, you'll love our raise your rate cd that offers a one-time rate increase if our current rates go up. ally. do you love your bank ? for a short time only, get 50% of lenses including bifocals, no-lines and sunglasses made with your prescription. hurry, the sale ends april 3. so see clearly and save today at lenscrafters.

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uh ok, how 'bout cash? cash? he want cash! want better rewards? peggy? switch to discover. america's number 1 cash rewards program. it pays to discover. with less than 38 days to go it's crunch time now for the royal wedding. this morning we have new details about the big day and the horsedrawn carriages that will carry the couple and their families. michelle kosinski got a rare look inside the mews where they are kept in tip-top shape and the horses are pampered. good morning. >> reporter: it strikes you the tradition surrounding this. who gets to ride in a gold-plated carriage? maybe cinderella or royalty. there are hundreds to choose from and on the wedding day five will be used with 18 horses.

you just can't miss them, can you? when a four-ton gold mini palace on wheels rolls by, you know somebody kind of important is inside. carriages are jewels in the crown of british pageantry. big, small, contained, convertible, velvety inside and draped in the symbols of power. now with a royal wedding bearing down it's time. >> we always have emergency vehicles literally in case the wheel falls off. >> reporter: kate middleton is breaking with tradition and will not arrive in the famous glass coach used by diana and the queen. the whole wedding party will arrive by car. kate in the same rolls phantom attacked by student protesters

terrorizing prince charles and camilla. after the wedding the coaches come out. harry and the bridesmaids will go low key while william and kate will be shown off like jewels themselves just like charles and diana. the mandatory goal for the royal mews is no mishaps. >> horses are unpredictable. >> reporter: but the carriages are trusty. queen elizabeth used it but shele really liked this one. a gift from australia in 1988 complete with air conditioning and power windows. mark har grooefs is the queen's personal coachman. that's a huge responsibility. >> it is a bit of pressure. >> reporter: you can't hit potholes or splashes. >> no. >> reporter: do you ever try to go over a ramp and catch some air in one of those things? >> it wou >> reporter: do you ever try to go over a ramp and catch some air in one of those things?

>> it would be nice, wouldn't it? >> reporter: for those who work hard to make everything -- and we mean everything -- picture perfect, the finished product is worth it. >> it only happens once in a lifetime, so it is very important that we get it right because, as you know, the eyes of the world will be upon us on the 29th of april. >> reporter: the carriages are not modernized with things like bulletproof glass or armor, so the guards rely on other security measures. as to whether they are comfortable, it depends which one you're in. some have a swinging action and they tend to make the occupants feel seasick. maybe that's why they are not using them before the wedding. ann? >> thank you so much. cing up, the alleged bully who was slammed to the ground by the boy he was tormenting speaks out. [ female announcer ] when allergies make your eyes itch,

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good morning, everybody. the time is 7:56. i'm brent cannon. there are still some questions about the sanity of the bay area teenager who attempted to kill teachers at his former high school. 18-year-old alexander ushock took the stand in his own defense yesterday and said he never thought twice about bringing a chain saw, a samurai sword and ten pipe bombs to hillsdale high school back in 2009 with the intent of killing teachers. the prosecution begins its rebuttal tomorrow. if ushock is found guilty of charges the same judge and jury will determine his sanity. closing arguments are expected today in the case of the professional poker player accused of killing his own parents for inheritance money. 30-year-old ernie scherer iii

claims he have asleep on his couch when his parents were killed in pleasanton. he is accused of driving from las vegas to pleasanton in 2008 and beating his parents with a baseball bat. authorities say he was deeply in debt and wanted to claim his $1 million inheritance. scherer says he's not guilty. right now we'll check the forecast with christina and keep tabs on the rain moving through the bay area. >> good morning to you. the little rain coming down is evaporating before it hits the surface. you'll see sunshine likely on your way to work, but we have a lot of rain on the way heading through tonight. an area of low pressure drops into the bay area first recreating a windy environment. then the showers start up later tonight. heavy at times. flooding is definitely possible heading through the next 72 hours. we have another storm on the way for thursday. so let's enjoy today. 58 degrees in fremont. 58 in san jose. rain starts up tonight. let's check your drive right now withic mine inouye.

we have damp roadways in the south with the commute on 280, 101, and 87. all typical spots with speed sensors showing you the slowing. the northbound side here is jammed up. now we are seeing effects as folks get through the area as they are clearing to 808 over to san leandro. here's the backup at the toll plaza. traffic is coming down out of richmond and the north from san leandro. it will all funnel through the area. we'll see the movement stop and it will be backed up to the maze. thank you, mike. more local news for you in a half hour. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. have a great morning. us toyota. which is better? [ male announcer ] why do so many car companies compare themselves to toyota? maybe it's because toyota has more hybrids on the road than all other automakers combined. like the 50-mpg-rated prius, the best selling hybrid in america. and prius was also named a best overall value of the year. plus, every new toyota comes with toyotacare, a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance.

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(man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime. we're back now. 8:00 on aue we're back now. we're back now. 8:00 on a tuesday morning. it's the 22nd day of march, 2011. you know it's actually beautiful right now. breezy but blue skies. temperature is 44 degrees. we'll hit about 50 today. then al says to fasten your seat belts. >> yeah. got a little thunderstorm activity, little snow, a little mess coming in here. >> just a one-day event? >> couple of days actually. >> all right. >> out on the plaza i'm matt lauer along with ann curry who's here while meredith is off. mr. roker joins us as well.

coming up we have a video that stormed the internet. it was about bullying. >> a lot of people have seen this as one boy hits a larger boy and that boy reacts by slamming the smaller boy to the ground. the older boy said he's been picked on for years and now the boy who was body slammed said the video doesn't show the whole story. we'll hear from him coming up. this is coming as even the obama administration is taking a look at bullying and talking about why we need to stop it. >> absolutely. when you see uncomfortable situations like that or you get into an uncomfortable situation, do you know what to say? >> it's difficult. >> it's hard. we've all been in that position. someone shares bad news with you and says, i have an illness or i lost a loved one or my job. what you say at that moment is very important. some people think if you don't have something really good to say, you should say nothing at all. we have advice on the best way to handle those difficult situations.

>> you do feel compelled to step up in that moment. want to get a check on the news? >> natalie is at the news desk. >> good morning, once again. the u.s. military says both crew members from an american fighter jet that crashed overnight in libya are safe. jim miklaszewski has the latest for us. good morning, mick. >> reporter: good morning. the two crew members were on a mission east of benghazi when their f-15 eagle experienced mechanical difficulty and crashed into the desert. fortunately they were able to eject safely. one was recovered almost immediately. another was recovered after a search and rescue effort sometime later. both are safe and on their way to europe. they say there was no sign of any hostile action at the time, that it was strictly a mechanical problem that forced that jet down. natalie? >> that's good news there. jim miklaszewski at the pentagon. thank you. a tokyo utility company says power lines have been hooked up to all six reactors at a damaged

nuclear plant. that's a major step toward restarting the cooling systems which were knocked offline. the first american casualty has been confirmed. the body of 24-year-old taylor anderson was found in the coastal town where she was a teacher. shell is the first company to win government approval for new deepwater drilling in the gulf of mexico since last year's bp oil disaster. shell plans to drill as many as three wells 130 miles off the louisiana coast. tucson shooting suspect jared loughner has been ordered to undergo a mental examination to certify that he is competent to stand trial. the judge said the purpose isn't to determine his mental state at the time of the shooting. the suspect in a maryland yoga shop murder is being held without bail. her arrest coming after a stunning turn of events. nbc's justice correspondent pete williams is in bethesda with the story. good morning. >> reporter: natalie, it's a crime that put this upscale area

of bethesda on edge. two women said to be brutally attacked inside this high-end athletic apparel store. one was murdered. police say they made a discovery that turned the case upside down. word of the crime swept through this popular neighborhood north of washington, d.c. two women attacked by two men, police said, after closing time inside this store where they worked. one killed, the other tied up and sexually assaulted, discovered the next morning. >> both suspects, there are two of them, concealed their identities with masks and gloves. >> reporter: the murder victim was jana murray who was working on her graduate degree in business school. as members of her family joined friends in a memorial outside the store police searched for clues, guided by the account of the other woman there the night of the attack, brittany norwood. her story stunned the normally placid community. nearby shops began closing early so employees could leave before dark.

security cameras went up. rewards were offered. but as police looked for two male attackers they began to doubt what brittany norwood told them. in court documents, investigators said her knife cuts were superficial scratches, parallel to each other, characteristics, police said, of self-inflicted injuries. as for the way she was found investigators say they believe she posed herself in that position, hands tied above her head. >> as the investigation continued, our analysis of forensic evidence was not supporting ms. norwood's story. in fact, it was taking us in a different direction. >> reporter: now brittany norwood is formally charged with murder. investigators say jana murray discovered that norwood was stealing store merchandise and confronted her about it. still in jail she appeared monday in court by video link as a prosecutor said she attacked murray so brutally that the wounds were, quote, too numerous to count. brittany norwood has a public

defender who left court without comment. natalie? >> pete williams, thank you, pete. opening statements in barry bonds' perjury trial will be delivered today. a jury was selected in the case on monday in san francisco. bonds faces several counts of perjury for testifying that he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs. he was indicted in 2007. a texas construction worker is recovering after receiving the nation's first full face transplant. 25-year-old dallas reens was disfigured and blinded in a 2008 power line accident. the transplant was performed in a hospital in boston. dallas hopes the restored nerve connections in his face will let him feel his daughter's kisses. we hope for a good recovery there. 8:06 and now back outside to al with a check of the weather. >> thanks, natalie. got some friends on spring break. where are you from? >> indiana.

>> having a good time? >> yes. >> we're getting married tomorrow. >> you're getting married tomorrow? >> not really. >> oh, not really. okay. having a baby? well, sort of. let's check your weather. see what's happening. temperatures in the southeast -- [ laughter ] and midwest going to be anywhere from 15 to almost 20 degrees above normal. on the other side of the system, look at these temperatures. l.a., six degrees below normal. 12 degrees below normal in phoenix. a risk of strong storms in the midwest. heavy snow back through the plains. wet weather in the pacific northwest. sunshine in the east. that's going to be chang good morning to you. in our neck of the woods, take a look at this. blue sky overhead. it is not going to last long, but embrace this break we'll see the next few hours. we have a little spotty

activity, very light, and a lot of it is evaporating. clouds are thinning out, we get a nice dry break before the next strong storm pushes on shore tonight. 58 in spring month, 57 in los gatos. rain tomorrow. have a great day. >> you don't even need a google map for that. matt? >> you don't even need a google map for that. matt?>> >> al, thank you very much. when we come back, who was the real victim in the case of the alleged bully who was slammed to the ground by another student. the inside of the story is right after this. full-line auto manufacturer. with 25 vehicle choices highway rated 30 mpg or better. like the 50-mpg rated prius, america's best-selling hybrid. plus, every new toyota comes with toyotacare,

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back now at 8:11 with new details on a shocking case of bullying caught on tape. hundreds of thousands have watched as a teenager slams another child to the ground. now the boy who allegedly started the fight is defending his actions. natalie has more on this. >> the video went viral on youtube. it's a vivid and disturbing bullying incident unfolding before your very eyes. one of the boys says there is more to the story than what the videotape shows. it's the video that has people around the world talking. 12-year-old richard gail caught on tape punching 16-year-old casey hanes at school in australia. then casey fights back. body slamming richard on the cement. the video wentle wild online with people calling richard a vicious bully and casey a hero.

nouri archdiocese is defe-- now defending his actions saying he was bullied. >> he abused me first. >> really? >> yeah. >> what did he say to you? >> get to class, idiot, that kind of stuff. >> you didn't say anything to him? >> no. i'd just chase him. i didn't hit him. >> reporter: hanes tells a different story saying that richard attacked him unprovoked telling the australian show he came out of nowhere, grabbed me by the shirt and punched me in the face. casey says richard and his friend called me fatty and i wanted it to stop. richard is defending his actions. >> you're not really sorry at this stage. why not? >> because he started on me first. >> richard said he's been bullied most of his life and he snapped, taking it out on casey. >> do you understand that by you hitting that big boy he might

have been feeling exactly like you are feeling now? >> yeah. >> reporter: during the interview richard showed the first signs of remorse. >> i'm sorry that i picked on him. i didn't know he's been bullied his whole school life. i ended up getting hurt, bad. >> both boys have been suspended because of the school's zero tolerance policy regarding fighting. ann? >> natalie, thank you. susan lipkins is a psychologist who specializes in bullying. good morning. >> hi. >> as you were watching the tape i heard you sigh. >> yes. it's really difficult to watch that kind of violence. we hope that even when the victim stands up for himself he doesn't have to use that kind of violence. we have to support the victim in protecting himself. >> you're saying the big boy, you see him as the victim here, in part because there was a reason this videotape was rolling based on your looking at this case. >> right. we hear the kids on the side say

there is a history of him being taunted. >> called fatty. >> and ginger because he had red hair. there is a history here of being a victim. >> so the kids then according to what you understood, they were rolling on this so they could put it online showing all these kids or this particular little kid beating up a big kid. now that you have heard richard, the little boy who's now 12, talking about his own emotional response to this, he's also a child. it sounds like it's possible both of these children have been the victim of bullying and this is the outcome. >> very often we see the victim become the bully when they have a chance to do it. they do to others what's been done to them. we have a victim-bully cycle. this is an important tape because we see all the aggression happens to casey. it builds up and he finally lets go. the other kids who don't let go commit suicide or get to do

something worse. this is really important because you see the aggression moving in them both. >> what's particularly troubling is that in the subsequent reports we understand that casey's family didn't know how isolated he was. there wasn't a clear sense of how lonely he was because of all the taunting he said he endured. so what does this tell us as parents about really knowing our kids? at this age they're not telling us when we ask them questions. >> a lot of victims are telling their parents and parents are going to the schools and the schools aren't responding. we need everybody, bystanders, adults, parents, bus drivers, teachers to be intervening and to be taught how to intervene in order to prevent the bullying from escalating. >> you're telling your kid not to take a punch. you say get in there yourself and go to the school, go to the family of the alleged bully? >> no, no. the victim has to go to a trusted adult and hopefully to the parent and report it to the

school. the school has to have a reporting system so everybody -- bystanders as well as the victims themselves and their parents -- are reporting what's happening so they can intervene. >> so they have a voice. all right. susan, thank you so much. coming up next, how to find the right words to say when someone else's bad news leaves you speechless. that's coming up right after this. professional driver on a closed course. ♪ do not attempt at home. always wear your seat belt. ♪ and please drive responsibly. [ male announcer ] it's the most fun you can legally have. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers on the c-class. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer i wear what i love, because expression means everything.

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or maybe skewers of tender, wood-grilled shrimp. or your choice of shrimp paired with wood-grilled chicken. all served with unlimited, freshly-baked cheddar bay biscuits. seafood lunches starting at just $6.99 that fit into your budget and your lunch hour. only at red lobster. we are back at 8:20 kicking off a new series called "what do you say" when a good friend she tells you she's getting divorced or an acquaintance is suffering from an illness you can be caught off guard. how do you find the right words to say? good morning, ladies. nice to see you both. we have all been there. someone shares news. you're caught off guard and as the words come out of your mouth you know this is not what i want to say.

why is it so hard? >> it's hard because people are uncomfortable in uncomfortable situations. sometimes what happens to the friend, they fear might happen to them. they also may not be comfortable with emotional expression of difficult things. >> i think the thing to keep in the back of our mind is sometimes it's better to say nothing as opposed to the wrong thing. here's a situation where you are confronted with the information that someone lost their job. listen to someone said. ♪ >> the worst thing someone told me when i lost my job that was negative feedback was you're not the only one. >> i think that's a well intentioned comment. the person saying, in this economy, boy, there are a lot of people in the same boat. i feel for you. but it didn't come out right. >> it was diminishing the issue. that person lost a job. oh, my goodness, what you should have said is, are you okay? is there anything i can do for

you? that would be the kind thing. that person wants to be heard and acknowledged. >> i think in addition to what hair yet sa harriet said there is a sense of, gee, that must be difficult or you must be worried. trying to put yourself there and be supportive. >> we conducted a poll of things people think they should say when they hear someone is losing a job. 80%, i'm sure you will find something soon. 18%, nothing, change the subject and 2%, there are bigger problems in the world today. i hope that 2% isn't in my neighborhood. let's look at the next one. what's the best thing someone said to you when you were going through an illness. listen to this. ♪ >> my mom was very supportive. she said regardless of the decisions she would be there to support me as a mom and that regardless of the outcome she

would always be there for me and she's keeping me in her prayers. that helped me significantly. >> mom did the right thing. >> yeah. a lot of times you don't get that. a lot of times people will say, i know somebody else who was sick or when i was sick. people take information and turn it as if it's -- they are the ones having the issue. >> taking the focus away. she was great. >> it's not about us. it's about the person. she had three elements. support, in her prayers and she said, what your decision is, i will support you. she's not imposing herself on her. >> the next we have all experienced. you come up to someone and find out they just lost a loved one. listen to this. ♪ >> one of the worst things someone said to me was that in ten years no one will even remember him. she was trying to be helpful. but it was really hurtful. you know, i still think about

it. >> in what way was she trying to be helpful? i'm not sure. i don't know where that person was going with that. >> trying to diminish it again. be present with the person. be empathetic. she should have said, how are you? if you want to talk i would be happy to talk. also, if you haven't gone through it, you don't know what it feels like. say, i'm not sure how you feel, but i know you're hurting. >> in addition, we can say, you know, not to make it about you, but i know how difficult it can be to lose someone if you have lost someone. but also to say, you know, i'd love for you to talk to me about this person when you would like to. i would love to know about them. i'd love to know more about who they were for you as opposed to no one will remember them. the biggest fear we have is that we won't have a legacy and that we'll be forgotten. we want to help someone know we can help them remember the

person. >> let's move on to the touchy subject of divorce. especially if it's a bad break-up. it's not easy. here is what someone on the street said about divorce. ♪ >> the most useful thing someone said to me was move on. i think the worst thing someone said -- it might have been one of my parents -- was why are you leaving her? she's perfect. >> that's not what i want to hear at that moment. >> "move on" is interesting. for one person it may be encouraging. for somebody else it may be very, very discouraging. what you say to one person may not be appropriate for someone else. again, you have to do what's right for you and be with people who support you. >> don't give advice. just listen. >> don't say, hey, i have someone to fix you up with. wait a little bit. there is a cooling off period that needs to go on there. harriet, dale, thank you very much. tomorrow, how to deal with awkward social situations.

we're back after your local news. good morning, everybody, 8:26. i'm brent cannon. opening statements in the case for barry bonds. david is outside the courthouse in san francisco with more on the events. >> reporter: opening arguments begin in about five minutes at the federal courthouse behind me. the prosecution will go first, followed by the defense. we got video of barry bonds arriving about 15 minutes ago. he waved at someone on the street that yelled his name. you will hear the prosecution say he lied to a federal grand jury and so he should go to prison. another person that will be here

this morning is greg anderson, his former personal trainer. he is expected to tell the judge he will not testify against barry bonds, so for that reason he will go back to prison. live at the federal courthouse, back to you. a look at the morning commute after the break. my diet? well yesterday i had an apple turnover.

i know it's sort of my weakness. i always keep it in the house. well, that and boston crème pie, white chocolate strawberries, and mmm key lime pie. yeah, i've already lost some weight. [ female announcer ] yoplait light -- over 30 delicious flavors at about 100 calories. babe, what are you doing?! ♪ [ female announcer ] the yoplait you love, now in a 4-pack. try it today. welcome back. we will take you for a look at the south bay. northbound routes where the yellow indicates speeds in the 50s. gentle slowing through most of the south bay.

jams up towards mountain view. the southbound traffic slows down passing by woodside out of redwood city. further north, san mateo bridge, you see the people, on the right, 101 peninsula drive. slower drive into the city. interstate 80 and highway 50 have chain advisories required coming through the sierra, that's the reason why, all of the snow on the road. >> doesn't look too bad. more local news in a half hour. "today" show returns in about a minute. see you in a bit!

8:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 22nd day of march, 2011. sun is still shining brightly here in rockefeller center. we are enjoying moderate temperatures and a nice crowd of people gathered outside our studio. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry filling in for meredith

this week. natalie and al join us as well. coming up, we'll be taking cooking to the next level. >> this is great. since when would you use a centrifuge to make peas? one of the authors of a new book, it's all about modernist cuisine. it's more than a book. it's a coffee table. it's a book, a series of cookbooks that are coffee tables. they will use science to show us how to make great new dishes. >> isn't cooking really about science, about how things work together? >> science! >> we'll learn about that and we'll make something. >> is that ravioli? >> it's a striped mushroom omelet, i believe. >> that sounds good. >> it's an edible frame. >> also coming up, we'll take a look at the lives of one of our rising stars in american politics. his name is cory booker from newark, a new jersey mayor.

he'll be opening up this morning to jamie gangel about work and personal life and if he has his sights on a higher office. he's done so much for the community of newark. a lot of people excited about him. also, from jewelry to pet products, jill martin is back with deep discounts, just for you, our "today" show viewers. >> a wide range of items. >> coffee, too. >> can we say hi to marcie? she's the latest contestant to be voted off the ranch on "the biggest loser." hi, nice to see you. >> you look so nice. >> thank you. >> here's the problem. you reached your goal weight too early. >> that's a problem? >> so quickly that you had nowhere else to go. >> i don't think it was a problem. i think it was a great thing. i know that i was very proud to be the first person ever to reach their goal weight on the ranch. >> you started at 260 --

>> 238. >> when i left the ranch i was 162. >> the thing is the very important thing is that you were an athlete as a young person and you got a degree in something related to sports? i think like a lot of women once you have kids, you kind of -- >> lost focus. >> it happens to a lot of women. what are your thoughts of where you were before you lost this weight. >> i was very stressed out, to be honest. i felt like i was being strong but deep inside there was a lot of stress going on in my body. it was actually contributing to my weight gain. so, for me, you know, i would just say let it go. be yourself and take the time for yourself. take that hour and a half a day, hour a day that you need. just focus on yourself. >> you said something interesting. best thing that happened to you was leaving the ranch. >> yeah. >> they asked me if it was sad

when i left the ranch. i said, it was the best day of my life. it was the new beginning for me. it was the second part of my life. being on the ranch was just wonderful. >> i know your daughter courtney remain there is. how is she doing in? >> courtney's doing great. she lost 112 pounds before we got on the show. she's over the 200-pound mark as far as losing more than 200 pounds. i'm so proud of her. >> way to go, marcie. nice to have you here. >> time manamege is key for me. >> we want to remind people to check out the show, nbc's "biggest loser couples" right here on nbc tonight at 8:00. mr. roker, a check of the weather? >> let's show you for today. we have a risk of strong storms in the mid mississippi river valle valley. heavy snow in the plains. sunny and warm through the gulf coast into the southeast. tomorrow the mess moves east into the mid ohio river valley.

rain and snow here in the northeast. more heavy rain from california could lead to flooding. we have snow and potential blizzard conditions back through the plains. good morning to you. you will probably see sunshine on the way to work. it is not going to last long. clouds roll in later today, and winds will pick up ahead of a strong low pressure system that arrives later today, bringing light scattered showers as early as this afternoon. 58 in redwood city. 57 in los gatos today. today kicks off a rainy pattern that will intensify heading into thursday with another stronger storm on the way. hope you have a great one! that's your latest weather. now let's say hello to mr. willard scott in florida. mr. scott? >> welcome to florida where the sun always shines. it's shining today on our birthday buddies from good old

smuckers. take a look if you will. from yukon, oklahoma, we have lula hawkins. made a sandwich for barry goldwater. a moment in her life. frances casway from hollywood, florida. an assistant air raid warden during world war ii. a lot of neighborhood people did that. kept us safe at night. cecila finnegan from rocky point, new york. her secret is eating well and having a great sense of humor. i concur, as ke say. and searl watson from deer, ark. a proud world war ii vet, walks without a cane. straight as an arrow. charlotte stanley of boone,

north carolina is 100 years old. passionate school teacher. her students still come visit her from time to time. harrison new york's bert askwith is 100 years old. founded his own coach bus service. still runs the business and goes in to work. i telle y you, that's the secre. carmen appel is 104 years old. very independent and absolutely a delightful person to be with. giving is living. that's the motto. back to new york city where the sun always shines. >> mr. scott, thank you very much. when we come back, mr. roker gets a little bit of a send-up on jimmy fallon's show. first this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:39 with one of the biggest rising stars of the democratic party. everywhere you look from oprah to facebook, bon jovi to brad pitt, newark's mayor cory booker is enlisting help for his troubled city. jamie gangel tried to keep up with the busy mayor. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. let's face it, most ambitious politicians may have looked for an easier city than newark but booker is not your usual politician. his high profile led to speculation he might be interested in running for higher office. we started by talking with booker about his latest challenge -- a personal one. >> good morning. how you doing? >> reporter: as if being mayor of newark isn't tough enough, these days cory booker has taken on a new challenge -- losing weight. why are we here at that time

crack of dawn? >> i got up to 290 pounds. right now about 275. it was ridiculous. if you want to make a change you have to be the change. >> reporter: it is vintage cory booker, driven, charismatic, a man on a mission trying to turn around one of the toughest cities in the country. >> i have no right to think anything else but newark, new jersey, is going to shock the world. >> reporter: it's not just talk as shown in this award-winning documentary series, booker has been known to personally patrol the streets. >> how are you guys doing tonight? >> reporter: find people jobs. >> can you get me a job? >> let's talk about it. >> reporter: even shovel snow. it's made him a celebrity with friends like bon jovi and more than a million followers on twitter. booker admits it's been a roller coaster with extraordinary highs

like this grant for newark schools from facebook founder mark zuckerberg. >> $100 million! >> reporter: and devastating disappointment. >> june, seven murders, july, eight murders. >> reporter: for a young, ambitious politician often compared to barack obama he could have picked an easier city. raised in an affluent jersey suburb, his parents were ibm executives. booker was an academic star, class president and all american tight end who went on to stanford. a rhoads scholarship at stanford. >> reporter: you have an expression that i think you got your b.a. and m.a. at stanford but -- >> my ph.d. on the streets of newark. >> reporter: if he sounds like don quixote. >> i want to believe in impossible dreams again.

>> reporter: he's also pragmatic supporting president obama's tax cuts for the rich. >> that was a high moment of his presidency. >> reporter: even though that $700 million could have helped you? >> we would be still in a stalemate. >> reporter: one of his closest allies is republican governor chris christie. >> i have watched cory do great things in this city and he's just started. >> reporter: one thing the 41-year-old mayor hasn't done -- settled down. you say you're a failure in your social life. >> yeah. >> reporter: but not for lack of trying? >> well, i think lack of prioritization. i believe in the concept of destiny, that there is somebody that is meant for you and i will find her, discover her. maybe she's already in my midst. that woman will have to have a charitable heart. >> reporter: as for his political future booker has three more years as mayor but

like his friend the governor he's often asked what's next. do you think about running for governor, senator, white house? >> it's presented to me on a regular basis. it's hard to get my mind around doing those things when there is so much work here to do. >> reporter: do you ever look at barack obama and say, could have been me? >> no. that was not a path i wanted to take. even on the most discouraging days i feel like i'm in the right place, right time, taking on the right fights. >> reporter: for now, booker says newark remains his inspiration. >> i would say my first professor is somebody we just buried last month. ms. virginia jones. i was a young man who showed up on her doorstep like john wayne. i'm cory booker from yale law school. i'm here to help you out. she looked at me in the way new yorkers do like who the heck do you think you are? she looked at me and said, boy, you need to understand something. the world you see outside of you

will always be a reflection of what's inside you. if you see hope, opportunity, love, the face of god, then you can help me out and we can make a difference. i remember looking at myself saying, okay, grasshopper, thus endeth the lesson. that's newark. >> he's truly a force and so committed. despite what he say, watch out. in a few years his friends say they believe they will see him on the national stage. ann? >> he is very impressive, jamie. thanks. by the way, i'm a twitter follower. coming up next, revolutionary new ways for you to cook your favorite foods. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

switching to progressive could mean hundreds more in your wallet year after year. feed me! saving you money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today.

♪ eat well, live long ♪ have a good daisy, work out, get strong ♪ ♪ when you need a lift, just sing a song ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy with a natural treat ♪ ♪ have a good daisy, healthy foods to eat ♪ ♪ when you want some joy, dance to the beat ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy [ female announcer ] enjoy the fresh, 100% natural choice in cottage cheese. ♪ have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy we are back at 8:47. this morning on "today's kitchen," step by step, the cutting edge of cooking. a new six-volume set of books

reveals science-filled techniques. nathan is one of the thors and joins us this morning. good morning. >> good morning. >> the book is more than $600. is this for a chef, at-home cook or scientist? >> it's more people who love food and are curious about it. >> you take recipes to the next level. you use a centrifuge on one, a homogenizer on another. you're making a striped mushroom omel omelet. how do we start? >> this is a mushroom puree with dehydrated egg. we don't want it too soupy. >> okay. >> we'll spread this here on the nonstick pad. >> okay. >> a little bit more. >> this is time-consumer, not something to make the kids before they rush to school in the morning. >> right. you can make the mushroom omelet without the stripes but the stripes are cool.

>> okay. >> this is a pastry comb used in pastry to put stripes on things. bring it across and there are the stripes. >> you put it in a framing device. tell me about the eggs. >> just normal beaten egg. our usual rules for a three-egg omelet, two whole eggs and one yolk. it improves the texture. >> you let it hit the statue la first so it doesn't ruin the stripes. and you are actually going to steam it. >> we steam it at 179 degrees fahrenheit. >> other than just because you can, what's the purpose of this? does it make it lighter? >> it makes it perfect every time. normally a french omelet is technique-intensive. it takes years to do it just right. using a very high heat, a second off here or there and you have a problem. >> this is what it looks like after the steaming.

it makes a nice thing. it's easy to manipulate. to make up the plate we have it here on the plate. we put some mushroom marmalade on. this is egg. it's already cooked, scrambled egg. >> looks like whipped cream on this thing. all right. >> now we are going to put a layer of the foamy scrambled eggs. >> how many of these do it get in an order? >> as many as you would like. >> all right. >> now we put on the herbs. >> okay. you make your little sandwich there. >> there you go. >> there is the striped mushroom omelet. tell me what we ee're making ne >> a vegan gelatto. this is pistachio which is a mild flavor. if you add the cream you lose the flavor. here we have ground pistachio

turned it into pure mipistachio oil and we'll use this homogenizer. >> just like i have at home. >> hit run. what we are doing is beating this up. a really good blender would also do this. >> it allows you to combine things that don't want to be combined. >> and turns it into a cream. it's getting lighter and lighter. if we did it for a while we would have something with the texture of a dairy cream. >> okay. >> but it's made out of pistachios. >> what do you do after you have combined it this way? >> add some sugar. turn it into ice cream. here is some. >> that's the gelato? >> yes. it has an amazing pistachio flavor. >> strong pistachio flavor. >> which you don't get if you made something with cream and eggs in it. >> this last one is a pea puree using a centrifuge.

>> right. it starts as pea puree here. we spin it in the centrifuge 40,000 times normal gravity. it separates out into almost a clear broth. then you can see there is a layer it shall ha-- hard to see that we call pea butter. it's really not a butter. but we make this into a dish. >> i will take a bite of that. the book is "modernist cuisine." thank you very much. we're back in a moment. i'll grab my centrifuge. this is "today" on nbc.

okay. an odd pairing. weird al yankovich and cheerful weather forecasting. but one fan of jimmy fallon has a passion for both. jimmy brought them together. take a look. >> jimmy, let's look at what's happening in your neck of the woods. ♪ it's too late for sunny skies ♪ ♪ there's a good chance ♪ there's a good chance for sunny skies ♪ ♪ a good chance >> you know, i do play the accordion. >> you do? >> i do. >> and you have flowered shirts like that. >> could you wear your hair like

that? >> i got that shirt from our senior producer don. >> and the hair? >> i love jimmy fallon. i love what they come up with over there. >> brilliant. >> that's an odd pairing. >> yes. >> do you think there will be a woman involved? the idea that -- >> wait a minute. >> you're pairing two guys. >> weird al rokervich. >> i like that. >> very flattering. >> i have to say -- >> it's good to know i have ta stunt double. >> there you go. >> much more ahead on this tuesday morning. but first your local news and weather. >> that's right, coming up after this.

good morning, everybody. time is 8:56. i'm brent cannon. the bay area is not the only place getting weird weather. look at this amazing video of a funnel cloud north of sacramento. several schools were in the area at the time, saw it, went into lockdown yesterday afternoon, but they were not evacuated.

that twister as you can see was pretty much in a rural area. didn't cause any damage this morning. want to check the morning commute. >> thank goodness, no injuries and damage. looking at damage to the roadway slow down, highway 24 westbound, a disabled vehicle at the maze. that's causing slowing over to the toll plaza. slow down in the area approaching golden gate for westbound 80. watch for that. still recovering castor valley. westbound was slow after an accident on 238. the roadway has been cleared but still slow there. more local news in a half hour. "today" show continues next. have a great morning. see you back here in a bit. [ alarm blares ] [ female announcer ] important events can sneak up on you. oh, i am not ready. [ female announcer ] but in two weeks, you could feel ready. introducing yoplait light's two week tune up diet plan. you could lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks when you replace breakfast and lunch with a fruit, grain, and yoplait light. betsy bets. you haven't changed a bit.

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back with more on "today" on a tuesday morning, the 22nd day of march, 2011. stop and take a gander at some nice people who stopped by our window on the world in rockefeller plaza. nice day. some changing weather in the foreca. al will talk about that in a little while. meanwhile on the plaza i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. we have been covering news out of libya all morning long. more news. we had word pentagon officials confirming for nbc news that an american f-15 e fighter jet crashed in libya overnight.

both crew members are safe. they have been recovered by u.s. officials and we are going to be talking about that story in a little while. >> important story this morning. >> that is good news. on another note, coming up in this half hour we'll be talking about your diet questions with joy bauer. everything diet and nutrition from feeding your sweet tooth to having a mid-day snack that won't make you sleepy. we have he wille think answers for you. a little bit later on it's hard to believe but reportedly actor and warlock charlie sheen is in negotiations to go back to work on his hit sit com "two and a half men." will it happen? we'll update you on the reported talks. >> do you remember the beginning of this whole thing where he said that, mark my words, they will beg me to come back and the number is now $3 million per episode, not $2 million. i wonder what we'll find out about that. >> also this morning, especially in this economy people are looking for deals.

we have more to tell you about including gourmet coffee and jewelry and also pocketbooks. apparently outfits to wear to the beach. >> but wait, there's more. let's go inside now. natalie is at the news desk with all the headlines. hi, natalie. >> good morning, matt, ann and al. two u.s. airmen are safe after ejecting from the fighter jet that crashed overnight in libya. nbc's chief pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski has details this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the two u.s. air force members were flying east of benghazi when their f-15 experienced mechanical difficulties. they ejected from the aircraft which then crashed into the desert. one of the service members was recovered by a u.s. military search and rescue team fairly quickly. the other had fallen into the care somehow of one of the armed rebel groups. he was in contact with the search and rescue teams but for safety reasons had to separate

himself from that armed group before the helicopter could safely land. that airman was slightly injured and is now aboard a u.s. aircraft on his way to europe. both airmen are safe. now, according to u.s. military officials -- and they stress this point -- the plane went down because of mechanical reasons. it was not shot down. there was no hostile action in the area at the time. natalie? >> good to hear that they are safe and sound. thanks so much, jim miklaszewski, at the pentagon for us. the operator of the damaged nuclear plant in japan said power lines have been reconnected to all six reactors at the complex, a major step toward restoring cooling systems knocked out by the earthquake and tsunami. meantime the first american casualty has been confirmed. the body of 24-year-old taylor anderson was found in the coastal town where she was a teacher. yemen's u.s.-backed president warned today that the country could be plunged into civil war because of what he called a coup against him.

several high level military officials joined the wave of defections from the government following friday's killing of at least 40 protesters by security forces. the u.s. justice department is sending letters to states nationwide after receiving a report that applicants to public and private trade schools are being denied admission because they are hiv-positive or have aids. people with hiv or aids have federally protected civil rights and cannot be discriminated against. former minnesota governor tim pawlenty is the first major republican to wade into the presidential race. he announced on facebook monday that he was forming an exploratory committee which allows him to start raising campaign cash. for the first time today the obama administration is asking the united nations to fight discrimination against gays and lesbians around the world. the declaration follows years of mixed signals from the u.s. on a highly controversial issue at the u.n. the coast guard released

dramatic footage of a rescue sunday off the coast of santa barbara. take a look. the family of four, including a baby, had to be saved after their sailboat broke away from its mooring and was set adrift in rough seas. good to know they are doing well today. it is five minutes past the hour. now back outside -- actually upstairs to al. >> that's where i am. >> where? hey. >> thank you, natalie. i keep moving all over. let's show you what's happening as far as today is concerned. we have severe storms stretching from nebraska up to wisconsin and as far as northwestern indiana. possible hail, tornado as the system pushes forward you can see the rain and snow actually up into minnesota. rainfall amounts ahead of the system, we are talking anywhere from one to two inches of rain. could be locally as much as three inches. then to the northwest of the system where we've got blizzard warnings in effect for parts of

the dakotas and montana we could see four to 18 inches of snow. good morning to you. well, breaks of sunshine. that's what we're noticing across the bay area, but it is all coming to a close. more shower activity pushing on storm. we have a big time storm on the way. we will see windy conditions before it gets here. showers start in the north bay around 3:00 p.m., intensifying overnight. we are concerned about the possibility of flooding. rapid river rises, flash flooding will be a factor with another storm on the way into thursday. today's temperatures in the upper 50s. ♪ now time for joy's diet s.o.s., answers to your daily diet dilemma. "today" nutritionist joy bauer is here with everything curbing cravings.

heather, what's your question? >> good morning. i was curious why i crave sweets so much. no matter what, i have to eat dessert after my meals. i heard somewhere it means i'm not eating enough fruit during the day. is there truth in that? >> sadly not. there is no association with craving sweets and not eating enough fruit. what's happening is your brain is conditioned to wanting something sweet after a meal. what i mean is you probably have for a long time had a dessert after lunch and dinner. so your brain wants it, expects it, craves it. you can have something sweet afterle me meals but you don't to gain weight. so after lunch satisfy your sweet tooth with a piece of fruit and save the sweet dessert for after dinner and portion control it. maybe a low fat ice cream pop or a couple of chocolate covered graham crackers. even a small slice of cake or pie. i would have you wait 30 minutes after finishing your dinner to

have that dessert so you're not gobbling through your dinner for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. it will help you loosen up this pattern. >> every day? >> sure. you can do it every day. it's all about portions. >> there you go. >> bye-bye, heather. >> bye-bye. we have a viewer e-mail from evan in chicago. evan writes, by far my favorite type of restaurant is a steakhouse. what are the healthiest things to order there? there are plenty of things. >> for appetizer go for a shrimp cocktail or a salad with vin gra -- the vinaigrette. tell the waiter no butter on your steak, but steak sauce is okay. steamed or sauteed greens. and a baked potato with either butter or sour cream. or use marinara sauce.

for dessert, berries with whipped cream or a nice decadent dessert split amongst the table. >> at a steakhouse you can get good fish, too. >> great fish. i'm thinking he probably wants the steak. >> probably. >> i love salmon. >> one last question from johnny in brooklyn. johnny joins us live via skype. what's the deal? >> all right. what can i eat in the middle of the work day that's not going to make me so sleepy? i get back to my desk after lunch. i'll have a burger, pizza, taco and i just want to take a nap. >> that's probably not good at work. >> no. >> first, let me say that feeling sleepy midway through the day is somewhat normal. it's like part of our sir kad y -- circadian rhythm. but if you have a high fat, carby meal you are left feeling blah and it exacerbates sleepiness. when it comes to lunch, go light on the volume, low on the fat.

make sure there is enough protein there to offset carbohydrates. so some energizing lunch ideas would be a turkey sandwich, ideally on whole wheat bread or a wrap. stuff it with vegetables. you can have a bowl of lentil or black bean soup with a whole grain bun and maybe a side salad. you can do pizza. keep it thin crust, load on the vegetables and if you can add grilled chicken, go for it to bump up the protein. these lunch ideas may not completely cure that afternoon exhaustion, but they are definitely going to help. i promise. >> couldn't johnny go for a walk? >> absolutely. >> wake things up. >> maybe a five or ten-minute nap if the boss will allow it. >> anybody seen johnny? he's in the break room taking a nap. i'll try that during our show. >> al? al? >> still ahead, jill's steals and deals.

we have deep discounts on fantastic items. later on, she played a high school feminist in "saved by the bell" but now jesse is all grown up and helping teenage girls become more self-confident. we'll find out how. cadillac of. push your onstar button and you could be one of them. even if you're not an onstar customer. ♪ just push your blue button and tell the advisor you want to enter the onstar push on sweepstakes. ♪ but do it soon. no purchase necessary. see rules at onstar.com to enter without a blue onstar button. see rules at onstar.com nothing beats the taste of honey bunches of oats with real strawberries. it's full of sun ripened strawberries. and 10 grams of whole grain per serving. mmmm delicious! nothing's better than honey bunches of oats with real strawberries.

packed with two servings of veggies in every half cup of our now thicker, richer, healthy sauce. new ragu has a great taste your family will love. ragu. feed our kids well. if there's any way i can get a few extra dollarss missed. in my bank account-- new ragu has a great taste your family will love. to me, it really does matter. especially right now. times are hard. we want to get back every dime due. [ announcer ] if you're not using h&r block, yo u could beoneyvi mng abon the t mle. t n'hado c.kees nc u could beoneyvi mng abon the t mle. call 1-800-hrblock, and never settle for less. you know, each year, olive garden sends over 100 of us to study the art of italian cooking. we learn from master chefs. we visit the local markets. we talk to the artisans. we learn all the little secrets of italian cooking and bring them back to share with you.

inspired by italy, our new handmade puff pastries. generously filled with italian cheeses and herbs. try them with sauteed chicken breasts in a creamy garlic sauce or with braised beef in a balsamic demi-glaze. tonight at your olive garden. don't suffer waiting for your pills to kick in. add alaway. for fast eye itch relief that works in minutes and lasts up to 12 hours. only alaway comes from the eye care experts at bausch & lomb. so when allergies strike, add alaway. because it's not just your allergies, it's your eyes. for fast eye itch relief, add alaway. in the eye care aisle. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] introducing purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. developed with dermatologists... it's clinically proven to remove 99% of dirt and toxins and purify pores. and with natural willowbark

it contains no dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. dirt and toxins do a vanishing act and my skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] new purifying facial cleanser from the new line of neutrogena naturals. this morning on jill's steals and deals, jewelry, clothing and even something for your pets this time. companies brought us great items to show you at deeply discounted prices. jill martin is back with big bargains for you exclusively for our "today" viewers. good morning. >> good morning. >> okay. what's the story? remind us how it all works? >> everyone get to the computer. it goes fast.

retailers bring us these items and we give them to you at deeply discounted prices. neither "today" nor i benefit monetarily but we are able to bring you the deals. everyone is asking about shipping. >> the deal is so great sometimes and the shipping is the usual shipping price. >> right. they do not hike up the shipping cost but check to make sure you're okay with it before you buy the item. most are final sale. >> and the item is sometimes cheaper than the shipping. >> you know, we make sure that's never the case. >> okay. good to know. let's bring you these great deals starting with pretty retro-looking rompers from vintage havana which you say is a hot brand. they are great for summer or going to the beach. >> i love these. a pocket romper. retail is $54. the deal price is $6. that's 89% off. the floral print or palm tree print. these are sold in the juniors department at blooming dales.

>> sizing is important. >> and i'm a size 6 1/2 and 135 pounds and i fit in the large. i want everyone to know. full disclosure i fit in the large but to wear to the beach. it's better for juniors, but $6, a great gift. great to have in the wardrobe. >> go larger in the size. >> they are 100% cotton. you can wear them bigger. there's room. >> for the first time we have a new kind of deal for you, coffee. we all need the morning cup of java. you have a bundle deal. what do you get from don francisco's coffee. >> you will stay wide awake with this deal. the retail is $115. the deal, $32.95. that's 71% off. >> amazinging. >> you get two mugs. one grinder, four whole bean bags, four family reserve ground bags, eight family reserve minis

in assorted flavors. delicious. >> good and bold. very nice. good blend. >> the whole family can be wide awake. >> next, this one will excite the ladies. this is sort of a five for one deal because this is a bag that can be converted into five different ways. you have it in three different colors and styles here. >> by joseph charles. the retail price is $380. the deal price is $58. that's 85% off. comes in black, navy and dark brown. genuine oiled leather. you can wear it five days. 14 carat hardware and these are the five ways. on the website they will give you on youtube instructional videos. >> a tutorial. >> it's an evening bag, clutch, shoulder strap clutch, shoulder bag and over the shoulder bag.

>> look at this, a paper airplane. >> right. this is great. takes you day to night. beautiful. >> good value. really good value. >> okay. >> now pet lovers will love this one. you know if you have a messy eater for a pet it's all over the place. this is the neater feeder. it will make them a lot neater. >> as they feed. for dogs and cats. retail is up to $59.99. the deal price is $15 for any price. up to 75% off. you see what happens here. as they eat, this is for cats and these are for all size dogs. you can look on the website to see which dog you fit into. >> great idea. >> as they eat it goes into the bottom and filters into the bottom. no mess. you really don't -- if you have a dog that doesn't clean up after himself. >> sloshes water out of the

plate. >> $15 for any size. again there is a chart on the website to correspond with your dog's size. >> okay. over here, jewellery is always a hot ticket item for us. these are necklaces by adina raider. this is the big ticket item. what's the retail price? >> $375. the deal price is $75. that's 80% off. let me tell you. they are sterling silver necklaces with pave set diamonds, four shapes. diamond shape is 10 millimeters. total carat weight is .084 to .066. celebrities like cameron diaz, jennifer aniston love them. they can be worn all day long. >> great for graduation gifts, mother's day. and because last time our surprise item was such a huge hit we are bringing it back again. reminding the viewers that we have a sixth item on the "today"

website. >> today.com. there is a special sixth surprise item. you can get the same sort of deal. it's something very different. >> something worth looking at, absolutely. got to go right now. okay, jill martin. >> i hear the computers clicking. >> buy products at five discounted deals. rompers by vintage havana, coffee, the handbags, neater feeder and necklaces by adina raider and our special sixth mystery deal available only on today.com. head to the website for the promotion codes and the websites offering the exclusive bargains. still to come this morning, the latest twist in the charlie sheen saga. is he going back to his hit comedy show afterle a all that said? first, these messages. s for the. what if they were stolen from you? by alzheimer's. this cruel disease is the sixth leading cause of death,

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mmmmmmm...good meeting. same time tomorrow? [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. i see a bag and think... i could have a chip. yeah right. that's why they're called chips? [ female announcer ] new special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. another cracker chip? don't mind if i do! [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. coming up, not so sorry, charlie. is there a deal in the works to bring charlie sheen back to his sit com. >> winning. >> and "saved by the bell" elizabeth berkeley is helping teen girls. find out how after your local news and weather. to surprise people

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to this. sign up for a venture card at capitalone.com today and get up to 100,000 miles. what's in your wallet? impressive, right? good tuesday morning. i'm laura garcia-cannon. 9:26 now. san jose is the largest city in the u.s. without fluoride in its drinking water, but that could change today. the water district will hold a hearing to talk about retrofitting the water system. it will cost $23 million to do it, but people that like the idea of having fluoride in the water say it will save more than $100 million in dental expenses. that project will be paid by water customers through increase in their monthly bill. many roads in the sierra are closed due to snow.

you can't get into and out of yosemite. all roads into and out of the park are closed. they have had snow, ice, mud slides, down trees, down power lines. more than 3 feet of snow dropped in the area. visitors stuck in the park got out in a caravan yesterday. no word when the roads will reopen. >>e wi b tereak quick break now. we will have more coming up.

good morning to you. we're seeing a little bit of sunshine out there. we've been waiting for that. a little rain is pushing on shore. this is situated over emeryville and oakland. just offshore we have showers creeping very close to the coast. san francisco, you're going to get a light shower here in the next ten minutes. heavy rain doesn't arrive until the latter portion of this afternoon into tonight. we could see potential flooding and very windy conditions. downed trees are certainly a concern. you want to keep your eyes on the weather forecast in the next

72 hours. we will keep you updated here at nbcbayarea.com. we will check the drive with mike inouye. during the break in rain, we have a break in traffic at the toll plaza. bottom of the screen, zoom into northbound 880, very slow from san lee ander where we had earlier problems on caster wide. we had an accident at 5th, cleared the roadway, caused problems through oakland. live look at the coliseum, traffic is moving better. it will be slow approaching 98th past the coliseum. and here, the glacier cam. the reason the chains are required is because of snow and ice like on the camera. >> there you see it. glad we're in a warm studio. another local update in about a half hour. "today" show is back next.

i believe you were looking for this. >> jesse, those pills are dangerous. >> yeah? so's geometry. >> you told me you would stop taking them. >> i need them to stay awake and study, okay? >> it's not okay. i'm worried about you. give me the pills. >> mind your own business. >> actress elizabeth berkeley and a young mario lopez in her earliest role on "saved by the bell." she's all grown up and reaching out to give teen girls advice on boys to body image, love and life. she's here to talk about her handbook for building

self-esteem. a lot of us grew up watching her. interesting that she's reaching out to that generation of women. >> she's embraced the cause and has spent years working on it. >> my role model was screech. also ahead, is cbs and warner brothers ready to welcome charlie sheen back to "two and a half men"? they may be negotiating to get the self-proclaimed warlock back on the air. what producers want is for him to come back to network television. we'll find out the latest. >> and we'll talk about the new cooking show on the sci-fi channel. the star is a chef who is actually an expert in molecular gas tron my, the marriage of science and food. he has a dish called the breath of a dragon. you may recognize chef marcel from "top chef." now a check of the weather. >> he has also a recipe for

tiger's blood. >> i didn't know you could make it. >> i don't know if you can or not. for today, we have wet weather in the pacific northwest. a risk of storms through the mid mississippi river valley. heavy snow to the north of there. sunny and warm through the gulf coast and the southeast. for tomorrow, the risk of strong weather works into the mid and upper ohio river valley. heavy rain, strong winds along the northwest and west coast as well causing possible flooding there. look for snow in the upper mississippi river valley. good morning to you. we are on storm and flood watch. now we're getting kind of a break. mostly clear skies over the bay area. clouds roll in as we head through the day today. winds pick up. a system of low pressure brings about heavy rain at times. as we head through tonight, particularly tomorrow, and another system on its heels brings the potential for flooding. rain expected to move in in the next 72 hours. today is not bad.

57 in los gatos, cooler tomorrow. and that's your latest weather. >> thank you, al. up next, charlie sheen reportedly is talking to cbs about getting his old job back. we'll get the latest after these messages. depression is a serious medical condition that can take so much out of you. i feel like i have to wind myself up just to get out of bed. then, well, i have to keep winding myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, trouble concentrating, the lack of energy. [ male announcer ] if depression is taking so much out of you, ask your doctor about pristiq. pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain -- serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nset pain relievers,

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now to the charlie sheen saga. he may actually be welcomed back to his old show "two and a half men" on his old network cbs according to nbc's jeff rossen who first broke the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it's surprising, isn't it? hard to believe in many ways that after everything that's happened. but according to charlie sheen's camp and one of the people close to charlie sheen who's working on this, cbs has approached them saying, look, we'd be happy to have charlie sheen back on cbs, happy to have him back on the set of "two and a half men." but there is one big condition. charlie would need to work out his differences and his feuding with the people who produce the show, warner brothers and the cocreator of "two and a half men," chuck lorre. >> duh, winning. >> reporter: don't laugh. he may be right. charlie sheen has called his former bosses every name in the book. now sources say they are willing to move past it and take him back.

on his web cast sheen said this about cbs president les moonves. >> you gave me your word, so in turn you gave me nothing. it must really suck being your missus, the promise of getting something yet receiving nothing. >> reporter: in our interview here on "today" sheen said this. >> everybody thinks i should be begging for my job back. i'm just going to forewarn them that it's everybody else that will be begging me for their job back. >> reporter: do you owe cbs an apology? >> no. they owe me a big one, publically, while licking my feet. >> reporter: nothing like that, but cbs is reportedly ready to play ball, welcoming charlie home if he can settle his differences with warner brothers and perhaps more challenging his war with "two and a half men" cocreator chuck lorre. >> hiya chuck, you cheeseball. where are you hiding, silly clown? you are no match for this warlock. my power will consume you every

losing day, ugly whore. >> reporter: can you share a stage with him again? >> i'm open to it, absolutely. >> reporter: do you think he is? >> if he'd come out of hiding you could ask him. >> reporter: in firing sheen warner brothers said he was dangerously self-destructive and very ill. sheen sued. he said his termination is a conspiracy fuelled by lorre's ego, laziness and ill-will toward mr. sheen. in hollywood the only thing that eclipses big ego is big money which insiders say is exactly what's going on here. cbs could overlook the embarrassment -- >> liars and fools, all of them. >> reporter: to get their money-making star back on the air. >> there are a lot of hurdles that would have to be jumped for charlie sheen to return to "two and a half men." stranger things have happened in hollywood. there is a long history of people burying the hatchet when the deal is right. >> reporter: tmz is reporting that cbs president les moonves

wants the show back so badly he is willing to manage sheen himself, taking chuck lorre off the hook allowing him to work on his two other sit-comes or even create another one. it's unclear even then if sheen would return, though he told me over and over again he would. >> i signed for next year. being a man of my word i will be there with bells on. >> reporter: charlie sheen has a lot going on right now. we are less than two weeks away from the one-man stage show he's taking. he's sold out venues from detroit, chicago, connecticut, and radio city music hall. he also tweeted, hinting he may be in a development deal with fox television. the big question is will he end up back on "two and a half men" next season which, by the way, he was originally contracted to do before warner brothers fired him. no comment this morning from cbs, from warner brothers or chuck lorre himself. >> i imagine we'll hear from

them at some point. jeff rossen, thank you so much this morning. up next, actress elizabeth berkeley on her mission to empower young women. first, these messages. ere because he hangs here. because you don't see this everyday. (child) because we read the books . (man) and watched the movies . and now we're living it. because i can fly with harry. follow me! because now i can turn my brother back into a human being. (narrator) from unforgettable adventures, to the wizarding world of harry potter, only at universal orlando resort. you think i have allergies? you're sneezing. i'm allergic to you. doubtful, you love me. hey, you can't take allegra with fruit juice. what? yeah, it's on the label. really? here, there's nothing about juice on the zyrtec® label. what? labels are meant to be read. i'd be lost without you. i knew you weren't allergic to me. [ sneezes ]

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bel bell". elizabeth berkeley played jesse, the blond, straight-a feminist. she's all grown up and has written a book to help today's teens with issues like love, friendship and body image. it's called "ask elizabeth." welcome. nice to have you here. >> thank you so much. >> we have to ask about the "saved by the bell" days. >> of course. >> we all grew up and watched you and mario lopez growing up with us. >> it's amazing to basically have my adolescence, in all its glory every day. >> exactly. i know jimmy fallon is starting a campaign along with mark paul gosseler to get a reunion going. >> i'm up for it. i love everyone. we grew up for it. i would be up for it. >> come on, nbc. possible hit show. >> we can make it happen. >> what was it like behind the scenes? >> i'm grateful. i have been a working actress

since i was 15, but i went to regular school and work. that was my dream. to have the dual life was exactly what i dreamed of. my parents supported that dream. it was hard work but we were a family and we were really 15, 16, 17. we were the ages we were playing which is rare. normally people are 25 playing a teenager. we had our parents there. it was an innocent time. >> to be in television and be a teen star. >> yeah. >> mario lopez hinted that you all dated one another at one point in time. is that true? >> he's starting trouble. we all flirted. you're 15, around each other and everyone was attractive. you're going to have flirtations. the boys were like my brothers. that was kind of where it ended. >> that's where the line was drawn. >> we speak all the time. i love them. that's a forever bond we have. >> exactly. now, as we mentioned you're helping teenagers, particularly young women.

you started off with a website helping young girls and now this book. tell me about "ask elizabeth." why did you decide you wanted to help young women? >> this is five years ago. i started with a self-esteem-based workshop i started facilitating in middle and high schools. i have worked with over 30,000 girls, sharing meaningful dialogue on their football field, in the calf tfeterias an libraries. it started a couple years before that where i had an intention to be of service to girls. i felt like in the media we hear the problems with girls. i felt there was a void that girls weren't being served and supported. to me, i felt like the best way to do it was provide a safe space to be heard and know what they say has value and to connect them with one another. so many of the girls get to talk with one another in this forum i provide for them and feel a

connection that they have never felt in their lives. >> that's great. >> i facilitate it, but it's about the magic of the girls sharing wisdom and strength with each other. >> what are their major concerns? >> really, i realized that in my workshops that there was a series of questions that kept repeating themselves no matter what socioeconomic backgrounds, what region of the country there was a collective teen girl emotional experience. so i took the most asked questions from that and those are the questions in the book. >> a lot of body image questions? >> there is a great deal of focus on body image. if you were to ask me what the single most asked question is, it is -- it has to do with self-esteem pertaining to their body image and their looks and comparison issues. you know, the first question in the book is what do you do when you look in the mirror and you hate what you see? that may seem harsh.

>> do you answer the questions? what was the advice you give young women? >> the beauty of the workshop. i offer a story, wisdom, advice, something i went through. for example, i was a late bloomer when i was a teenage girl. you witnessed it on "saved by the bell." i felt, you know, my own insecurities. other girls were developed and i felt behind and left out. there was a moment of feeling a certain isolation. so i have empathy for girls whatever the struggle is. so i share it with them. i'm authentic and share personal stories the book. i share it in the workshop when we share a dialogue. what's great is it starts with the questions and then there is the dialogue and advice and then take away action steps. to me it's not enough to talk about the problem. what are you going to do about it? so the girls have tangible takeaways to make a difference in their lives. >> it's really important work. keep it going. >> thank you. >> so many young girls need a safe haven to say what's on

their mind. >> there is no shame in asking the questions and getting the help to arm themselves to make the path more gentle. >> good luck. the book is out today. so good luck to you. elizabeth berkeley, as always. thank you so much. up next, a little bit of a turn here. science meets cooking with some mind-blowing results. first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ weird science >> science! this morning on "today's kitchen" step by step. when science meets cooking. chef marcel vigneron has a new show premiering on sci-fi called "marcel's quantum kitchen." where he combines his two passions to create outlandish yet delicious desserts. jeff marcel, good to see you. >> good to see you, too, al. pleasure to be on the show. >> this is a science experiment gone crazy. >> it is indeed.

basically what happens is we're going to have fun, play with our food and utilize science to create new cooking techniques. >> can people do this at home, these things? >> certain things you can. i wouldn't recommend my version of rice krispy but the peanut butter and jelly can be done by your average home cook. >> you're making rice krispies with nitrogen? liquid nitrogen. >> a modern twist. we'll puff some wild rice. it still has moisture inside it. as soon as you add it to the hot oil, it starts to explode and basically puffs up and creates a really nice -- >> wow, look at that. >> creates a wild rice crispy. after we puffed the wild rice. ♪ puff the wild rice >> we're going to go ahead and strain it. let it dry out on a towel. just like so. i have gone ahead and done it ahead of time. we have some right here. take the puffed wild rice and we cooked it with a little bit of sugar. >> oh, so it's sweet.

>> yeah. slightly sweet. also, it has the ability to -- the sugar works as an adhesive. so that way if you can see, it will bind together. we can compress these little pellets. you want to go ahead and give it a whirl? get the hands dirty. just put them right inside that. then if you want to press it down with your fingers, your best tools. and then there we have a perfect nice little wild rice krispie tablet. drop it in the liquid nitrogen which is negative 320 degrees fahrenheit. so it's extremely cool. >> i would say so. >> but the cool thing about it literally, the cool thing. there is no moisture inside the wild rice krispie so you can consume it at subzero temperatures. pop it on coconut milk powder

for garnish and additional flavor. >> how long do you have to wait to eat it? >> three seconds. let it warm up a little bit. >> wow, that's cold. >> but when you pop it in your mouth you have the effect of the dragon. we'll have, like, smoke billowing out. >> this is dragon's breath? >> it's very good. >> okay. let's go back here. >> can i get your assistance? you want to help me out, al? >> wow! >> yeah. >> we're going to make a cake batter. >> hi! >> we have all these ingredients in the blender. eggs, sugar, flour, peanut butter. i usually make my own. for the home cook, i want to make it as simple as possible. >> that was close. that was close. >> same way i do it in the kitchen, al. perfect. look at that. then just take the blender, turn it on high. you can see how simple it is. basically we have common household ingredients, common

household equipment, and that's it. so i have taken this batter. >> we're running out of time. he's going to keep going. >> and boom. >> 45 seconds. >> marcel, very nice. sci-fi tonight at 10:00 p.m., 9:00 central. more after this.

good morning to you. 9:56 now, i'm laura garcia-cannon. a recent report says over 10% of

california schools are in financial trouble. a report was released that shows 13 school districts have negative certification, meaning may not be able to pay their bills through the end of next year. hayward and johns bay were included. emory, mt. diablo had a better outlook, were able to stay off the list now. the state's largest health insurer is going to lower and delay planned rate increases this year. that could save california policyholders $40 million. insurance giant and them blue cross will push rate hikes schedule to take effect april 1st back three months to july 1st. also will reduce the rate hike from the proposed 10% increase to 9%. changes are expected to benefit 600,000 policyholders. the move comes days after bloomfield of california abandoned its proposed hikes for the entire year. let's check the forecast with christina.

>> good morning to you. well, we have a little creeper situation, some of these cells creeping on shore at the immediate coast in the north bay. overall, a mostly dry bay area. that's all going to change as we head through tonight. flood watch starts. major storm system on the way to the bay area, capable of producing very heavy rainfall as of tonight and gusty winds. flash flooding is something we're going to be focusing on, as well as possibility of rapid river rises. enjoy the dry break while it lasts. 58 in fremont today. south bay is slowing. northbound 101, past 880, and again through mountain view. we have a slow drive in towards palo alto. extent of slowing is not so far, but it is bad down to below 20 miles per hour. a live look shows oakland improving. northbound side, speeding up in

the last twenty minutes. should improve in the next 20. another update in a half hour. hope to see you. "today" show coming up next. feed me! saving you money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today.

"today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hello, everybody, you made it to booze-day tuesday, and it's a national holiday today. >> is it? >> it is. >> what? >> officially cody gifford's 21st birthday. >> he's 21 years old. >> it's really nothing different because he hasn't done anything

i say for the last ten years. we're flying out to meet with him and celebrate with him. how are you, ms. hoda woman? >> i have been losing everything lately. let me tell you the three things that happened lately. i came to work yesterday and had one shoe in my bag. i knew the gym didn't have it, i left it in the car. i was making a mango salad with avocado yesterday. i used my favorite knife and i threw it in the garbage. it's missing. then i looked in my drawer. you know where the teaspoon area is, i had a full set. there are three teaspoons. i think i'm throwing things away accidentally. >> i think you're in love. i think you're in love and you don't give a rip about anything anymore. either that, or jay is stealing stuff. you could be wrong about these

guys, check it out. check it out, missy. you said you've had enough, but we do work for nbc news and we have to tell you the news of the day. >> this is the deal. yesterday cbs announced it wanted charlie sheen back. >> was it an announcement or was it rumor? >> there was a lot of chatting about it. which, when we heard that, it was surprising. >> so much vitriol when you think there is a lot of water under the bridges. >> it sounds the way it's being described is les moon wants him back and will sort of manage charlie, and chuck lorre, the guy who created the show, will be doing other things. >> he is executive creator of two other shows on cbs, making a lot of money, but i think "two and a half men" made about $2

billion. the sad thing is, it's all about money. >> charlie sheen surprised everybody on jimmy kimmel, and he didn't see it. >> look at the audience. >> he gave him a big old kiss. >> who knows where those lips have been. you got to think that way. >> he's handing out t-shirts. >> anyway, that was weird. what did he say? it doesn't matter. okay. so, anyway, there he is. it looks like he'll be back. >> i just wish he'd go to rehab and really get his act together, then we'd love to have him back. you know? and the one thing he's never said -- i think it was alec baldwin who suggested, just say you're sorry. everybody would love to have you

back, everybody is pulling for you. i don't think we've heard anything about that at all. >> he wanted a raise. can i start coming in whenever i want to? >> i fall on things and lean up against stuff, but how do you get rewarded for bad behavior? >> he continues to do it. and these shows on the road at radio city or wherever, they've made tons of money. not to leave out our other jimmy, jimmy fallon. >> we love him. >> we do. i guess somebody wrote in and said they love al jankovic and al roker. so they decided to blend the two in a skit. >> let's see what's happening in your neck of the woods. ♪

>> oh, my god. is that beshier? i don't even know if beshier is a woman. >> there's this videotape that is all over the place, and it has to do with bullying. before we show it we'll tee it up. there is a big kid getting pounded in the face and body by a smaller kid. at the end he's had enough and he picks the kid up and drops the kid like a bag of dirt. >> i thought the kid hadd broke his neck when i saw how he fell. >> and the kid who was doing the punching, he says, i'm actually the one who was bullied. look how he's hitting the kid in the face. >> look at the kids standing by, which bugs me just as much.

could maybe somebody go get help? could somebody say stop it? >> we're only going to show it once. that's it. that's it. >> anyway, the question is, the big kid clearly has been bullied for a long time, it sounds like. i wonder when it's enough. i know that was excessive force at the end, obviously. this is a big kid. it enrages me to see that little kid pounding on him while everybody around him is which you can ling and individu-- chu enjoying it. >> we're getting so inured to stuff because it's entertaining. there was a big thing in the lifestyle section saying we're not shocked by anything because it's so darn entertaining. >> when you think about it, we're all guilty of this, but a lot of sites that get a lot of clicks, it's a big hit on the

web because it's like watching a train wreck. >> i don't know, it's sad. that's part of the next thing we're going to talk about. we're now a post-human society, which basically means we are now finding ourselves more comfortable with technology than in our own biological environment. >> right, we're more comfortable texting than talking. >> we're more comfortable doing this than this. >> when you call someone on the phone, you're basically saying, listen, stop what you're doing right this second and pick up the phone because i want to talk to you. >> we have the choice whether to answer our phone or not. >> they say a text is less intrusive. when you get a text, you're like, i'll get back to them in a minute. they think a phone call is intrusive and a text message is a gentle sort of talk to me deal. >> a phone call is not intrusive if on the other end of that line is you. or my mother. people that i love can call me

any time. when i have just sat down to dinner with my family and we're in the middle of grace and the phone rings and you answer it and it's a survey or it's a political thing, you just -- that's when you want to -- >> yeah. but so many people are losing the whole basic conversation. it's going, because -- plus, the thing i don't like about texting, and i text people a lot, is you lose every ounce of tone. you don't know what they meant. was it sarcastic, was it funny, was it rude? i don't get it. >> you know how i feel about all this, but apparently there is now mommies that are going on their facebook and updating things to the point that, oh, bernie burped. and they do ultrasound pictures to everybody. >> here's the thing. facebook has become the thing that what you think is important in your world and important to everybody. and you're posting every

minutia, every little, bitty thing. >> every time i try to leave a message for you, apparently, on one of your phones, and the same thing with my daughter, it's just full. mailbox is full. ever since i met you three years ago, your mailbox has been full. >> exactly. >> why don't you check them? >> i don't check them. >> why? >> i don't know. because people call back. >> maybe the person who found your wallet and found your shoe and your knife and your spoons have been trying to call you! hoda woman, i have your stuff, call me. it might be worth it to go through them. >> i think you're right. and the other thing i don't do, and this is terrible, my work phone has a red light on it when there are messages. i haven't ever, ever checked it. ever. >> how do you get through life? >> i don't know. they told me there was a package at the front desk and i was so excited, what could it be? it's all your mail.

it doesn't fit anymore. the mailman had a pile of mail from two weeks. >> that's what happened when you got called to jury duty and almost got thrown in jail. when she gets her mail, she throws it out. hoda, this has got to stop. how old are you? 26? it's got to stop. >> i'm going to eventually get there. >> the good news is while you guys are sitting there drinking your coffee, guess what? you're making better decisions, especially if you go to the bathroom. the longer you have to go to the bathroom, the better thinking you'll do -- >> and the quicker decisions you'll make. >> there is a good chance that you are actually conversing more intelligently. it's not working for us. >> we're drinking tea. we've got a lot coming up. up next, we've seen the good movies on tv, men behaving like adolescents. remember this movie? is there a woman who can stop

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it seems like more and more these days we're living in a women's world. today women graduate from college in higher numbers, have higher gpas and get all kinds of work. >> but some men are not happy about this. there is a book called "manning up: how some women have turned men into boys." welcome. your book has caused quite the controversy. >> good for you. >> it conjures up images of seth grogan sitting around playing video games and being irresponsible. >> generally juvenile behavior, yes. >> men in their 20s and 30s who are now single, at one time in

history, they would have been married or on the road to being married. >> they would have been like george bailey. >> now they really have to think, well, it's way far away. i don't know how many men have told me, i don't have to marry until i'm 30 or 40. they have a little bit of money in their pockets, they're working on their careers, and they're trying to figure it out. >> do you think women are smarter and all those things? >> i think it's those things, but i think there are other things going on. we have to look at the economy. a lot of these young guys now, instead of getting married or getting jobs, they're now in graduate school, they know placement is very difficult to come by as far as work, so they have that forced extended adolescence, so there are other things going on. >> and when you think about the biology, kids in general, we're living longer, so it might take

longer to grow up. and the truth of the matter is, what's fun about being an adult? if you can play for as long as you can -- >> but you're only able to play if someone is facilitating your play, and that's where parents are really letting their kids down, by not raising them to be adults. >> remember the other problem, which is men and women are on different tracks. so women, by the time they're in their late 20s or early 30s, they're thinking, i have to get moving here, and the guys don't have that. i think that creates a different mindset for women. >> and when you look at their parents, they're looking at their parents and saying, wait a minute. aut 50% divorce rate. my mom married my dad when she was 19 and has decided she wants to move on. they want to wait. >> there is anxiety, too. when you have so many different options, sometimes it's hard to know what track is actually right for you. >> that's right. and we have very, very high

expectations for marriage these days. >> we make an awful lot of excuses. we really do. >> it's become a disposable sort of institution and we have to change that around, that it is important. but i think the other part of that is, it's okay, i think, at times to have this extended adolescence because some of these people are very brilliant. these are brilliant young men and women and they're working hard. they're having fun. what's wrong with that? >> i think it's necessary to delay marriage these days because careers are so difficult to get going, and because there is so much education people have to do, so i completely understand that. >> i think we're talking about two very different things. we're not talking about taking time with your life and your partner and your career, we're talking about laying around and being a slob and letting your parents take care of you. >> if you're living at home until you're 30, get out of the house. parents should say, it is time for you to get out and take responsibility for your own lives. i think that's a little bit different than for somebody just

being a late bloomer and coming into their own a little bit later. >> talk about manning up and not being -- >> what should women do? let's talk about that. there are a lot of men in that category. what's a woman to do? >> let me start with one, okay. one thing is, women have to be as smart about their love lives as they are about their career. >> know what they're dealing with. >> exactly right. number two, don't sit around waiting for your child man to grow up. he might. he probably will, but it may not be on your watch. so don't wait around for that. >> i tell you another thing women need to do, and this is what a lot of guys have said who have seen the book, read the article and so on. they're saying, wait a minute, we're pissed off because these women, yes, they have higher gpas, they're graduating in more numbers, and they're making more

money than us, so why should we sit down at dinner and constantly pick up the tab! right, guys? >> i understand. >> that's not happening as much these days. women are sharing the check much more than they did in the past. but for a first date, i think men should man up and just do what's expected. >> man up and bring out the wallet, guys. >> thank you very much. >> it's an interesting book and has a lot of discussion. thanks for coming by. >> thank you. up next, hoda woman? >> we're going to take to the streets and find out what works for you. [ boulder barks ] hour. bye, bye. here we go. come on boulder. aah! [ dog barks ] aah! come on, guys! daisy! whoo! aah! [ female announcer ] lunchables cheese pizza -- now with mandarin oranges.

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we're back with sara on the streets, and today we'd like to know, do you have a lucky charm? >> even though st. patrick's day was last week, we sent sara to

find out cherished items that have brought them luck in their lives. >> i asked shoppers in our nbc experience store about their good luck charms and some say er erin go boxers? >> i wore them underneath my pants on my first date with my now girlfriend. >> i have a new good luck charm. >> who or what is it? >> i want your good luck charm! that's beautiful! >> within four days of getting it, i won a gift certificate. >> i would wear the same socks over and over again. >> i have some lucky underwear, actually. >> like briefs or boxers? >> boxer shorts, yeah. >> your lucky charm has daffy duck on it?

>> he has to have them washed each time. >> i had something that was worth about $50. >> do you guys have good luck charms? >> i have a necklace that has charms on it that i give people when they're going through a ti time. >> it's lost. >> no, it isn't. >> i have a necklace my mom gave me, and if i don't have it on, i feel like i'll have bad luck. >> we're going to have a flower competition between us. [ female announcer ] smooth. like you've never felt before. ♪ touch of smoothness body wash with new hydra iq, nivea's latest breakthrough in skincare technology.

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good morning to you. it is 10:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the state budget crunch pushing plans for a new 49ers stadium ahead a lot quicker, even though there's no official deal just yet. santa clara leaders gave the niners $4 million so prep work can start in the great america parking lot, proposed site of the new stadium. city leaders are trying to protect money, keep it out of the hands for the state. the money has been set aside a long time. it could be raided under the governor's new budget plan. he wants to eliminate redevelopment money. they want to pay for part of the

project using redevelopment funds. two bay area men's basketball teams are alive. santa clara and, usf. the winner advances. tipoff, 7:00. on the women's side, how sweet to be a women's cardinals fans. they are headed to sweet 16 the fifth time in a row. lady cardinal will play north carolinasa.ay good luck. time is 10:27. weather and traffic after this. ♪ have a good daisy ♪ eat well, live long ♪ have a good daisy, work out, get strong ♪ ♪ when you need a lift, just sing a song ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy with a natural treat ♪

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good tuesday morning. a little spotty shower activity, nothing heavy. we'll wait for tonight for the heavy rain to arrive. the whole bay area is on flood watch, with another strong storm after this one passes through. what you can count on, windy conditions, possible flooding as we head through tomorrow and especially on thursday. a lot of rain comes through, possibly up to four to five inches! enjoy today. 56 in oakland, 58 in fremont and san jose. sun and clouds, rain arrives late. let's check the drive with mike inouye. a lot better than a half hour ago. two trouble spots, northbound 101, passing by, 237, accident clearing with a motorcycle. slow off 880. further north, san mateo bridge, smooth drive across the water. roadways dried out over the last

hour. another live look at the bay bridge toll plaza. getting much clearer. >> i think christina is right. better get out there and enjoy it. thanks for joining us. the "today" show is next. see you tomorrow bgh y eaatrl 50 :0a. y rlm.at 5:00 a.m.! we're back with today's styles. spring has finally sprung and everything is coming up roses, or honeysuckle, that is. >> pink is the color of the year! expert robin reno is here to show us how to wear this color. >> are you wearing honeysuckle? >> i am. >> very pretty, by the way. >> they chose honeysuckle pink because it's all about facing troubled times with confidence and vigor. >> that looks good on everyone,

i would think. >> there is a different palette for different skin tones, so nobody loses. everything is gorgeous. >> i love wearing dresses in the spring to work because it's just so easy. it's so nice because it's warm in new york and then you can just go out afterwards. >> where you going? >> this is a beautiful color. this is from lane bryant. it is a lap dress. >> they're two different tones. i wouldn't have thought you could do that. >> it's all about mixing and matching and having fun with different pinks. we did go ahead and give her nude shoes. >> next is anna. she's got a bt look and th-- be. >> she has a bikini on. this is a tunic.

this is great for all body types. she has glasses from jessica simpson and she has haveanas. pink is showing up in beauty as well, so we all had a manicurist come. >> jane is all ready for the rain. >> that's gorgeous. >> they say from esprit. the idea is even when it rains, you can have a pop of color despite that lack of sunshine. these shoes are ballet flats. they have really fun hardware. they're waterproof. brand new at macy's, and they're joey's, so they're waterproof. >> they come in all colors, i

imagine. >> they do. >> how long can you wear something like that? >> she's wearing a trench, which don't forget the umbrellas we're seeing as an accessory as well and an umbrella is a great investment. >> valencia has a beautiful dress for someone who has the perfect body. >> she looks smashing. this is from a web site called shock it to me. they have great deals for sales. what i like about this dress is the panels fit everyone. she has an amazing body. >> that would hit my left thigh. >> it's really stretchy and flattering to every skin tone, and we paired it with a pocket purse, a little bag. and we threw in a scarf. she's showing us you can kind of do color clashing. we saw that on the runway, putting different colors together, but it works for her. >> everything would work for her. >> let's bring everybody out,

shall we? >> thank you, ladies. thank you, robin. >> beautiful colors. thanks so much, everybody. up next, healthy tricks that can suppre!o yourur y appetite. >> really? >> are there five of them? >> five. as effectively as what's sold by skin professionals for a whole lot less. new olay pro x advanced cleaning system. ♪ ♪ ♪ are you paying for a bodywash that's 85% water? with olay challenge that. olay bodywash has 2 times the combined cleansers and moisturizers and 25 percent less water than the top selling bodywash. soft, smooth skin. with olay.

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transitions adapt to changing light so you see your whole day comfortably... and conveniently while protecting your eyes from the sun. ask your eyecare professional which transitions lenses are right for you. when it comes to losing weight, nothing can replace good old-fashioned diet and exercise, but there are some trips to help suppress your appetite.

>> here is carey glassman. >> i'm looking forward to this segment. i want to learn how to suppress the appetite. >> are there five? >> there may be even more than that. >> let's just settle with five, all right? >> what are we starting with, carey? >> first of all, breakfast. we know we have to eat breakfast to get our metabolism going, and it's important to have protein. it keeps us more satisfied than other nutrients. and in particular, at breakfast, we can actually be even more satisfied than having protein other times of the day. it doesn't mean we shouldn't have it other times of the day, but if we have protein at breakfast, we may actually end up eating less calories overall. >> are you saying eggs and bacon are a good choice? >> eggs and bacon are going to have about two cups of protein. >> this next one surprised me.

how are posititatoes -- >> i love potatoes. >> i do, too, but how do they suppress the appetite? >> it has resistant starch. like other types of fiber, it helps keep control, helps blood sugar. you want to try to have that potato cool. you'll increase the effect of the resistant starch. >> i can't have it that way. >> think about it as potato salad, and of course you still have to use portion control, because if you overconsume the potatoes you're going to negate all thoat protein. >> we've read about grapefruit, how it sometimes burns up things in your system. is that true? >> one study showed that dieters who ate half a grapefruit before every meal for 12 weeks lost 2.3

pounds. some lost up to 10 pounds. the study also showed that post-meal insulin levels were decreased, possibly decreasing fat storage. however, even putting that aside, we know that grapefruit are full of fiber, they're low in calories and they're also full of water volume. eating foods like that before a meal can cut the overall calories that you eat before the meal. >> it fills you up a little bit. >> exactly. >> what's happening down here? >> don't eat candles. >> this one i love, and this one is great for stressed or emotional eaters. a study shows that if you smell pepp peppermint every two hours, you can decrease the amount of calories you eat by 2500 calories in a week. that's a lot. the study also showed that green apples, vanilla and banana did

the same thing. it's not just about ambience. >> you know, this is true that mint tea is is a great thing to control hair on your body. something to do with your testosterone levels. look into that, baby. >> the last one, we want a snack. we want that snacking, i'm a huge advocate of snacking. when you eat consistently throughout the day, you keep your metabolism up and you cut on hunger. you want to snack on foods that have a combination of protein and healthy fat and fiber. here we have pistachios,

popcorn, peanut butter. >> isn't she smart? >> you ladies are smart. coming up next, spring flower power. michael is going to tell us what's in bloom. >> aren't there five? >> yeah. five flowers. [ female announcer ] we invited real women to try new dove visible care

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nothing says spring more than beautiful flowers. it makes you happy just to look at them. >> that's why we've arranged for flower designer and founder of the american school of flower design, michael gaffney, to give us the scoop. beautiful, michael! >> nothing is more gorgeous than nature, and you can control nature in a vase, right? >> i call it controlling the merchandise, so put a bunch of flowers in front of me, and -- >> you can overdo it, can't you? >> no. vercante said less is less. >> he certainly did believe

that. >> i came to new york and i got the runway shows at lincoln center, great florists, and absorbing their designs and training, and i think these are the trends that are coming. we've all seen the mono flower arrangement. one flower, one color, one wall, right? we've seen those the last four or five years. >> some of us still like that. >> no more. we're doing a nice european look. collections of flowers, gardens of flowers, like a small watercolor painting of flowers. very european, very english. we have a kate middleton event coming our way, perhaps? >> you see that english palette in our gardens. my husband gets so mad at me when i do high flower treatments.

he just picks it up and moves it over. >> if he wants it low, you can get it too low. it depends. we like greenery of the great designers. martha preston, they know not only about flowers but how to use greenery as well. i teach my students to use these. morro mant i c more romantic, pastel colors. another trend are these containers, antique containers. i found them all at a thrift store over the weekend, and i like collections in the middle of the table for a wedding. different containers and different flowers. >> why do they tell you you have to cut the stems at the bottom? >> it's a lot of work, actually. >> i'm turning into a designer.

we're doing one technique that i teach. we're going to take this and surround it with a collar. just like my shirt collar. we're going to collar it with another flower. take another flower and collar it some more. >> we're running out of time so we'll do exactly as you said. what's over here? roses. >> just start collaring around the design. one at a time, go all the way around. >> beauty, baby.

>> i'm already done. is this a contest of time? >> kathie lee, you're good! what about mine? >> not so much. >> love it. >> that's very pretty. >> come on over and judge. >> why do we only have three things to choose from? >> and the star is -- go ahead. >> i like hoda's better. she had more to choose from. >> and this is beautiful work. >> we love ray! we have something to say thank you to ray about, don't we?

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not sure which vino to buy or is the wine you want just out of stock? we have go-to brands that you can buy at your local wine store or restaurant.

>> that's right, we have executive wine editor for food and wine magazine. ray, we are very grateful to you. first of all, happy birthday. >> thank you very much. >> we're going to toast you and we're going to the watson food and wine festival because you invited us. >> you guys are going to come and it's going to be a blast. >> cheers to you, birthday boy. >> cheers. >> what are we trying here? >> what you're trying there is a crisp pinot grigio. there are more than a million bottles of these wines out there. they're affordable, too. $12 a bottle, fantastic, from italy. it actually has some taste to it, which is what i like. why not have a wine with some taste? >> you're wining your women. we're on to you. >> next, chardonnay because we have to have a chardonnay. chateau st. jean, 2009.

this is a classic chardonnay, $11 a bottle. >> i thought service chateau st. john, weirdly enough. oh, it's jean from the bronx. >> $11 a bottle. and you can usually find it for less, too. moving to red, mobeck has become hugely popular. >> everybody loves his wine selection. >> $13 a bottle. >> i've never heard of malbec. >> it was in france, and in argentina it found the place it needed to be, and it makes a sparkly, bold, red wine. it goes great with steak. >> what's the price on this one? >> again, around 11, $12.

california producer, originally great growers, then they finally started making their own wine about four years ago. it's a big, rich, fruity red. >> see the difference? >> it's a little different from the malbec. $12 a bottle. a lot around, which means you can find it. a sparkling wine from california, chandon. it lists for about 20, but realistically, you can find it for about 17. >> happy birthday to you. >> thanks so much. >> happy birthday to cody and everyone else on march 22nd. let's give him a birthday kiss, hoda. >> mmwwwaa! we're going to tell you how to host a girls' night in. plus, how to have a successful marriage. have a great day,eve

in a case it make it a nice, happy tuesday. >> bye! -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com